Children of Millennia: Part 1
by MillenniumPrincess
Summary: Journey back into the world of ancient Egypt and learn about how all the heroes (plus some of my own characters) met and came together. Pokémon, Inuyasha, Secret of Mana, Legend of Zelda, Illusion of Gaia, and many more also come together in this story. Songfics are also included. Note that this is purely fan-made and everything belongs to their respective owners.
1. Prologue

Many have heard the greatest legends…

But only few have heard this tale…

Long ago, since the dawn of time, there raged a devastating war between a gentle goddess of light and a menacing lord of darkness; two entities that never should have met. These two deities did battle with magic and monsters for power and control. The forces of light and darkness were evenly matched, but neither would cease until one reigned victorious. It wasn't long until the disturbance in the balance between light and shadows threatened to destroy the entire world.

The stars, believed to have powers superior than any deity, could no longer stand by to watch. To avert the world's destruction, the stars altogether used their celestial forces to seal the powers of the Great Goddess and the Dark Lord and force them to join them in the heavens as their own kind.

The battle between the two deities continues to rage on Earth; the battle dividing the pure of heart from the evil. They fight not only to fulfill the wishes of the deity they follow, but to determine who would be deemed worthy of their powers. For when the true children of the Great Goddess and the Dark Lord would be born, they would inherit their powers.

With the passage of time, humans and monsters started to forget about the Great Goddess and the Dark Lord until only few nations remained loyal to them; wondering when the deities would return to Earth, and when their children would finally arrive to finish the great war once and for all.


	2. A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born

The legend of the battle between Great Goddess Millennia and the Dark Lord Cobalt was famous in the kingdom of Egypt, for it was one of the few nations that still honored the two deities. No kingdom had ever felt strongly connected to their great deities. The people of darkness lived in the outskirts while the lights populated the entire city. The royal Egyptians, however, were considered to be the finest followers of the Great Goddess; doing everything in their power to fulfill her wishes. The city lived in prosperity for many years, but the Egyptian people continued to pray that their Great Goddess would return to the Earth and walk among her children just as she did in the past.

The royal court gathered around together not for a meeting, but to spend quality time together as friends for the remainder of the evening. It was another easy day; scrolls were managed, the city was inspected, servants were working well, a typical day of peace. At least, that was what the four men in the court were discussing together and laughing about.

"I suppose it's time to call it a night," said Serin, one of the younger courtiers.

"Anxious to get home, are we, old friend," asked Rama, the second eldest. Serin couldn't answer. He instead just smiled. Since his friends heard that he and his wife, Shira, were expecting their first child, Serin had been leaving the palace to return to his home every evening to be with her.

Olman just chuckled. "When you get home, tell Shira we're all praying for her and can't wait to see your child."

Serin appreciated everything his friends were telling him. So he gathered his scrolls, summoned his guardian beast, and together, they went to the stables and rode home on their horse.

Shira was used to staying up every night waiting for her husband to come home. She would face the sky and rub her belly hoping Serin wouldn't miss seeing his child once it was born. But this night was different. She felt serious pain inside, meaning the time was now. She called for her guardian beast Mawile and sent her to the neighbors to ask them for help. Mawile understood what Shira was going through, so she left the house and asked for the neighboring women to come to her keeper's aid.

Serin and his Meowstic made it to their house, but stopped before entering. Serin could hear Shira groaning, but was unable to enter. The guardian beasts of the midwives blocked his path and wouldn't let him pass until the process was complete. Serin realized he had no choice but to wait outside. Even Meowstic decided to stay by his side and join him in prayer. Finally, they heard wailing. The doorway was no longer blocked, so Serin was finally able to enter his house.

One midwife came out of the room before Serin could enter. "Oh, Serin," she sighed. "I've never seen anything like this before."

His heart began to race. "Is Shira all right? What about the baby?"

"Shira is well," she answered. "But your child, well-," but rather than finishing her response, she took Serin's hand and led him inside. "See for yourself." Serin followed her inside and saw his wife holding a bundle containing a squealing infant. He was delighted to hear it cry; meaning it was healthy.

Shira faces her husband and smiles at him. "Look, Serin, it's a girl," she tells him. "Come meet your daughter."

He does as told and approaches his wife and daughter. He kneels down to meet her, but is surprised to see something unusual about her. The child had been born with white hair. It was unusual because he had red hair and Shira's hair was auburn. Now he understood what the midwife was talking about. "Well, this is mysterious," he said, smiling nervously. "I've never seen a child with white hair before." But he knew he had to be careful about his words because Shira was still a little fatigued and he didn't want to excite her. "Of course, this is our mystery child."

Hearing him say that gave Shira an idea. "Mystery," she softly whispers to herself. She speaks up and says, "Serin, what a great idea. We'll name her Mystery." As if the child could hear her mother's voice, she finally stopped crying. Shira couldn't help but laugh. "It's almost as if she wants that to be her name."

After what had been going on, Serin couldn't help but agree with the whole thing. The child would be named Mystery because of her mysterious qualities. "Mystery," he repeated with contentment to the decision. But the blissful moment was disrupted by Meowstic's cries. He yowled to get Serin's attention and pointed to the sky. Even Mawile was restless. Serin finally looked outside and saw a strange white light and a dark blue light coming from the sky to the ground.

The monsters at the house weren't the only ones curious about the lights. Even the royal pets and the beasts of legend were just as anxious. Even though they had seen falling stars several times before, never had they sensed anything so strong about the ones that fell and landed in their kingdom.

The pharaoh saw how disturbed the royal beasts were and he too, was concerned about the falling stars. He noticed that one of the two stars landed near the Valley of the Kings, but wasn't sure where the other one landed. So he summoned his soldiers and told them to investigate the area and find the star. The royal court heard about it and decided to lead the royal guard to the Valley.

Rama told Olman and Ishtar to go on ahead. He decided to find Serin and get him to join his fellow courtiers. Ever since Serin married Shira, he had been living the life of a peasant to suit the comfort of the free-spirited demon tamer her he loved. "Serin," Rama called. "Serin, the king has sent us to investigate the fallen star. It may be what we've all been waiting for."

Serin gave his friend his attention. He had been loyal to the pharaoh since he was a child and would carry out his orders, but he wouldn't leave his family after such a momentous occasion. "Go without me, Rama," he called back. "Shira needs me tonight and so does my daughter."

Rama was amazed to hear his friend say that. "You have a daughter? Oh, praise the Gods! Oh, Serin, I'm so happy for you. I'll tell the others once I find them. We'll all be looking forward to meeting her soon. Give Shira my blessing," he said and rode his horse off to the desert.

Serin shook his head watching Rama ride off. He went back to the bed and took Mystery in his arms. "Get some sleep," he told Shira. "I'll keep an eye on her." Shira smiles, lies down on her back, and closes her eyes to sleep. Serin felt blessed to have a daughter of his own no matter how different she appeared. She was his child no matter what she looked like. He could tell Shira felt the same way when she first saw her child. She was a mystery, but she was their mystery.


	3. Finding a Daughter of Millennia

Finding a Daughter of Millennia

The royal guard had wandered through the Valley of the Kings for days in hopes of finding the fallen star. Finally, one soldier saw a shimmer coming from the eastern part of the Valley. He approached the light and saw a small white star surrounded by changing colors. Amazed at what he saw, he immediately called his comrades over. Carefully, the captain placed the star inside a chest without touching it. The soldiers returned to the palace.

The captain approached the pharaoh and presented him with the chest. King Aknamkanon looked inside and saw the star. He heard a soft feminine voice coming from it and the star emerged, taking on the shape of a radiant pale woman dressed in a colorful dress. "My royal friends, it is an honor to be in your presence once again."

His highness realized his assumptions about the entity were correct. This was the Great Goddess Millennia and what fell from the heavens was the Millennium Star.

Her voice rang once again. "I am afraid my shape is only temporary. I will return to my condition. But I come bearing good news. The one destined to wield my powers, my true heiress, has been born. You must find her, but do not bequeath me to her once you do."

King Aknamkanon acknowledged the wisdom of her words. The divine powers of the Great Goddess would be beyond the comprehension of her true heiress at an early age. "You have my word, Great Goddess Millennia. We shall find your true daughter, but hold onto you until she is ready to wield your powers."

"Thank you, my pharaoh. And worry not; I will let you know who she is once I meet her." Then she glows into a white light and returns to her form as a star. The king gave the captain his order to announce to the public that families with newborn daughters must bring their children to the palace. The captain accepted the order and gathered his forces. Even the royal court heard the declaration. Serin was starting to feel anxious. It was too much of a coincidence that the Millennium Star would fall down to the kingdom after his daughter was born. He starts to wonder how Shira will deal with the matter. He had to return to his home.

Shira finally got Mystery to sleep after feeding her and was able to take the time she had to rest. But before she could sit down to rest herself, she heard people cheering. Looking outside, she saw families leaving their homes and going on their way to the palace. "What's this about?" she asks herself. Then she hears Serin's voice.

"Shira, dear," he was telling her. She turns around to hear his voice. "Where's Mystery?"

"She's asleep," she answers. "Is something the matter?"

He shakes his head. "I have to take her to the palace."

Shira was shocked to hear him say that. "The palace? Why?"

Serin sighs and tries to explain. "The Millennium Star was found. We believe the true heiress of the Great Goddess has been born. To find out who it is, families are bringing their newborn daughters to the palace."

Shira was just as loyal to the Great Goddess as her husband and the royals, but the thought of her child being the one was making her feel a little nervous. She had no choice, however. An order was issued that every new daughter must be brought to the palace. She sighs in understanding and decides to go to the palace with her husband and daughter.

Many families came to the palace with their infant daughters. The Millennium Star remained dim for each child it came into contact with. Some parents were disappointed, but ended up leaving the palace satisfied and content. Even if their children weren't destined to wield the powers of the Great Goddess, they would still be her children.

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like hours, Shira and Serin were called forth. Serin's friends remembered him mentioning that he and Shira had a daughter and started having the same assumptions. Giving their respect to the king, Shira and Serin knelt down.

King Aknamkanon was delighted to finally meet the daughter of one of his finest subjects. He had never seen another child so different before; someone just as different as his own son, the prince, who would soon reach the age of his first year. Before he could get ahead of himself, the king remembered what had to be done. He opens the chest revealing the Millennium Star and it starts glowing. For the Millennium Star to shine in the presence of the child would justify everyone's assumptions about her being the true heiress of the Great Goddess. Shira and Serin were both delighted. Many parents were envious, but they tried not to let their envy get the better of them.

"We must wait until she is older," the pharaoh decreed. "She will have no control over the powers of the Millennium Star if we give it to her immediately." He faces Serin and tells him directly, "Serin, I have given you the freedom to live among the peasants to satisfy Shira's comfort. You must continue to do so for your daughter's sake. Until she is ready, you must raise her as a commoner without revealing to her that she is Millennia's heiress."

Serin wanted to debate that he would still be serving the king as he always had even during his marriage, but knew he was right. "And when her time comes, what will I do then?"

King Aknamkanon smiles and places a hand on Serin's shoulder. "There will be time to think about that. Just remember, outside the palace, you are still a follower of Millennia and I know that you will never be disloyal to me either."

Serin nods in agreement. "I'll return to the palace whenever I can," he promises. "And I'll bring Mystery with me sometimes as well."

"Mystery?" asked the king. "Is that her name?"

Shira smiles and says, "Yes, we wanted to call her that because, well, as you can see, she's different from other children and has unusual-"

"I agree," he interrupted. "She is different. And I believe in time, she will come to accept her differences no matter how unusual she seems and so will the rest of the Egyptian people."

Serin and Shira were glad to hear their king say that about their daughter. The palace was a place where people were accepted no matter what they looked like or where they came from. Being different was nothing to be afraid of, but something to accept. Smiling at each other, they hold hands and return to their home.


	4. The Girl with the Kindest Heart

The Girl with the Kindest Heart

As the years went by, Mystery had grown up not knowing anything about being the true heiress of the Great Goddess Millennia, but would often dream about seeing the Millennium Star. As promised, her parents brought her up as an ordinary peasant girl, but she still turned out to be anything but ordinary. She tried playing with other children, but had a hard time fitting in because of her unusual appearance. Her hair had grown down to her ankles and her eyes were as blue as sapphire. She was also a wild child like her mother and spent most of her time outside in the city or out in the dessert. And since Mystery didn't have many human friends, she spent most of her time playing and talking to monsters. Among one of them was her guardian beast Jirachi.

There was only one human Mystery truly became friends with and that was the prince himself. Her father often brought her to the palace to meet his own friends, but she and the little prince became close. They were both at the age of three when they first met each other and always played together. Though they were both little children, they were very fond of each other. Never had either of them met someone as different as themselves; a white-haired girl and a prince with black spikey hair with a violet outline and blonde bangs.

There was a change in character for the girl when she turned five years old. Like most small children, even she would throw tantrums and lose control of her ways. But now she was very patient, obedient, thoughtful, and took great pleasure in helping others no matter what the situation. Whether it be rescuing a kitten from a tree, helping someone when they were hurt, visiting her neighbors when they were sick, or helping other children do their chores. As she got older, Mystery took greater challenges such as stopping thieves and rescuing the kidnapped. Mystery couldn't always help performing acts of kindness not just because it was the right thing to do, but also because it made her feel just as good. Citizens overcame their fear for her and always appreciated the good things she did for them. Still, she always wondered why she was so different from the other children.

It was now Mystery's eleventh birthday; a day she had been looking forward to for several weeks. Jirachi is the first to awaken. He yawns, rubs his eyes, and smacks his lips. After getting a clear vision, he notices his friend is still asleep. "Mystery, wake up," he tells her, softly pushing her. "Come on, it's morning." She doesn't respond. She shuts her eyes tighter and groans.

The dream was coming back to her. It was a scene of her parents standing before King Aknamkanon and holding an infant. "At last, we have a true daughter of Millennia," the king tells them. "But it would be safe if I kept the Millennium Star with me until she is ready. If I may ask, what is the child's name?"

The dream starts to come apart as Mystery hears Jirachi calling her. "Mystery, Mystery," he calls. "Mystery, it's morning and I don't want to keep calling your name. Will you wake up!?" he suddenly shouts, causing Mystery to finally jump and open her eyes. She grabs Jirachi and tickles him. Jirachi frees himself from her grip and starts tickling her as well.

"I'm glad you're awake," Jirachi said, out of breath and still giggling a little.

Mystery relaxes and catches her breath. "Forgive me, Jirachi," she apologized.

"That's all right," he tells her. "I just don't want you to miss your own birthday. Your parents may even have a surprise for you."

It made Mystery happy to hear about her birthday, but at the same time, her mind was still on her dream. It had been the same dream for many nights as if the gods were trying to convey a message to her. As she was changing out of her nightdress and into her daytime clothes, she started wondering if she should tell her parents. Surely they would know something. The thought made Mystery sit down on her bed and sink deeper into her thoughts.

The sound of squealing didn't bother Shira. She was used to hearing her daughter and friend play together after waking up. Still, it sounded good to hear them finally calm down. As she was preparing breakfast, Shira was thinking about finally talking to Mystery. She faces Serin and clears her throat to get his attention. "Mystery's eleven years old now."

"Yes, I know," he tells her. "Time sure goes by fast, doesn't it?" Serin was always in a cheerful mood whenever he woke up. However, he could sense something was on his wife's mind. "Is something the matter?"

Shira sighs, faces Serin, and tells him, "I think it's time we finally told Mystery the truth."

Serin's eyes widen. He had a feeling she would say that. He also knew that time would come, but thought it was still too soon. He had this discussion with his wife several times before and would soon be out of reasons for opposing the idea. All he could say was, "Shira, she's only a child."

"A child of Millennia," she argued. "We shouldn't keep her in the dark for the rest of her life without knowing who she truly is." Before she loses her temper, she stops and takes a deep breath. She knew he only wanted to protect her, but it was time they stopped treating their daughter like a little girl. "I'm sorry, Serin. It's just that I sometimes wonder if she senses it; that she knows she's the true heiress of the Great Goddess."

"Why, Shira? Did Mystery say something?"

She gives Mawile and Meowstic their breakfast and tells her husband, "No, it's just a mother's sense. Besides, you know how Mystery's always asking us why she's so different from the other children and we're always telling her that she'll find out when the time is right. Well, I think that time is now."

For once, Serin was at a loss for words. He and Shira had been asked that question several times and saw how Mystery looked whenever she asked them. He sighs and nods in understanding.

What they didn't know was that Mystery and Jirachi were standing on the opposite side of the same wall from them listening to their conversation. At that time, Mystery finally revealed herself to her parents. They were surprised to see her. At the same time, they were worried about what she had just heard and how much. Mystery wasn't concerned about why her parents looked so surprised. She felt nervous about wanting to share something she had been keeping from them. "Mama, Papa, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yes, dear, of course you can," Serin immediately answered. The three of them sat down at the table.

Mystery felt butterflies in her stomach; a kind of feeling she always got whenever she was about to share a personal secret with her parents. Again, she said, "I need to tell you something."

"Well, Mystery, you know you can always tell us anything," her mother said. "But we need to tell you something as well. However, it's quite difficult, so we'll let you go first." Shira didn't sound as nervous as her husband.

Mystery wasn't fooled by her mother's calm expression. She could already sense her parents felt the same nervousness she did about revealing a secret. Just as her parents didn't appreciate her hiding anything from them, she didn't like it when they hid anything from her. But she knew that the quicker she explained, the sooner she could hear what her parents had to say. "It's about this dream I keep on having."

"Is it a bad dream?" Serin interrupted. Mystery didn't like being interrupted, but seeing her mother scowl at her father was punishment enough.

"No, actually, it is confusing, but at the same time peaceful. I see all of us in the palace. King Aknamkanon is there also. He is trying to find the heiress of Millennia. I see myself as an infant and the Millennium Star is floating above me, shining, telling me I am the one. The king takes back the Star, asks for my name, and then, the dream just stops." Mystery pauses and adds, "Yes, I know it is only a dream, but it seems so real as if it was… a memory," she sighs and smiles. She comes back to her senses and apologizes. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to sound distracted. But the thing is, I have been having this dream for many nights, but I was afraid to talk to you about it because I wasn't so sure about it myself."

Shira and Serin face each other, startled.

"Mama, Papa, is something wrong?"

Shira's instincts were right about Mystery realizing what it was that made her different from other girls her age. That was when she knew she had to tell her, "Well, dear, that's what we wanted to talk to you about. You see…"

"That was a memory," Serin finishes for her. "That happened a few short days after you were born. We were so delighted when we found out you were Millennia's heiress. The king said not to let you take the Millennium Star yet because-"

"Because Millennia's powers were beyond my comprehension," finished Mystery, remembering the pharaoh's words. "I would have no control over them and would have been killed." She smiles once again and hugs her parents. "Thank you for telling me."

"Now you know why you're so different from the other children," her father told her, wrapping her arms around her. "And it's not because of what you look like."

"We love you, Mystery," Shira tells her as she kisses her, "Happy birthday, darling."

"I love you too," she tells them and rejoins them for breakfast. Instead of eating on the floor, Jirachi joins them at the table. Meowstic and Mawile also sat at the table. Though they were monsters, they were part of the family and had good manners. Meowstic would often use his psychic powers to serve himself seconds when he couldn't reach anything and Mawile kept her second mouth behind her.

Serin decides to start a new conversation and offers to take Mystery to the palace. "We can go and get the Millennium Star if you want to. I think you're old enough to claim it now. Besides, we can meet and catch up with our oldest friends."

Mystery kindly refused. "No, thank you, Papa. I can go on my own, if that's all right with you and Mama. Of course, Jirachi will be with me."

Shira smiled. "You're a big girl, Mystery. You've proven that to me many times already. If you feel comfortable going on your own, then you have my permission."

"Can Jirachi and I go to the marketplace as well?"

"Of course you can, Mystery. And if you're thinking about buying anything," then Serin reaches into his pocket and gives her some of his money. "Help yourself to anything you may want for your birthday. It can be jewelry or toys or a new dress."

Mystery finishes eating and thanks her parents. Jirachi finishes as well and takes a last drink of water. Together, they hug Shira and Serin and pat Mawile and Meowstic. Then they head out the door and start walking on their way through the market. Normally, children are forbidden to leave home without their parents, which is why they have Magical Creatures to look after them and protect them in case they end up in trouble. Children often refer to their monsters as pets, but adults consider them as guardians because of their powers and abilities to fight and defend. Some people had more than one Magical Creature for a guardian, but Mystery and her parents were happy with having only one monster.

Like all parents, Shira and Serin warned Mystery and Jirachi about wandering too far from home and speaking to strangers, but at the same time, told them to have fun. This was actually a good opportunity for them. Shira wanted to plan a surprise party for Mystery while she was away, but this led to another unpleasant discussion. After all, Mystery didn't have a lot of friends of her own to play with, let alone invite to a birthday party.

"It's nice to see Mystery look so lively and happy," Shira says, watching her daughter run off.

Serin smiles at his wife and tells her, "She certainly takes after her mother. She's a free spirit."

"Yes, and like her father, she really enjoys helping others," Shira adds, taking the plates to wash them. Her smile fades away. "Still, it's sad to see her all alone. But at least she has Jirachi."

Serin's smile fades as well. "But it would be nice if she had human friends and not just those monsters she visits out in the desert to talk to."

"I thought she did have a human friend," said his wife. "The prince."

"Well, yes, but she hasn't seen him since I stopped bringing her to the palace after the wars ended and that was almost eight years ago. They may not even remember much about each other."

"Well, they were very good friends at such an early age and were very fond of each other. I think they'll remember." Then Shira chuckled to herself. She remembered always hearing Mystery tell her and Serin about her dreams about playing with the prince and pretending to be in love. Shira couldn't help but laugh and think her daughter really did love the prince despite being such a little girl.

Serin found himself agreeing with his wife. He remembered seeing how well his daughter got along with the little prince every time they saw each other and played together. At the same time, he wondered if Mystery would recognize the rest of the people her father introduced her to. But the royal court had new members and Serin's friends had met with disaster after what happened during the wars. But surely Mystery would recognize some people at the palace and they would recognize her.


	5. Down Memory Lane and Back Again

Down Memory Lane and Back Again

The way it turned out, his highness, Prince Atem, did remember his oldest friend. He would often hear some of the members of his father's royal court talk about Mystery and how she had wandered the entire kingdom helping others in need with the help of many monsters. He even learned about the Millennium Star and how his family had been safeguarding it for her until she was ready to obtain it. His memories of spending his early childhood with her flowed through his mind and made him want to see her again after so many years.

He sat on his bed humming to himself as he was trying to make himself look well-dressed by wearing gold ornaments and removing the tangles in his hair. His little guardian beast Riolu was helping him. "You're humming to yourself," Riolu told his young master. "Are you thinking about her again?" Not everybody could understand what their monsters were saying, but some creatures were able to communicate with their human companions mentally. As for Riolu, he learned to speak by simply watching and listening to humans around him.

The prince sighed. "It has been too long since Mystery and I last saw each other. It would make me happy if I saw her again."

Riolu snickered to himself. His master was speaking as though he was in love with her. "My prince, this Mystery maiden, do you happen to know if she's royalty?"

Atem finally faces his little friend and wonders, "Why do you ask?"

The little monster clears his throat. "Well, as you know," he was saying slowly as he was rubbing his paws together. "A boy of your royal status must be courted to a female of royal blood."

"Mystery's father was once a member of the royal court," the prince answered. "So that means she has royal blood in her veins. She just lives the life of a peasant for her protection."

Riolu still had questions. "But even if you do see her, do you think she'll recognize you, let alone remember all the fun you had together?"

Atem places his hand around his monster. "I don't think there's another child in the kingdom that shares my countenance. I'm sure she'll know who I am." But what was really making the prince anxious was the thought of seeing her again. Also, after what he and his friend were discussing, he started to wonder what Mystery's reaction would be if they did come face-to-face. Finally, once he finishes, he starts heading to the palace courtyard.

"Are you sure about this," Riolu asks as he follows Atem. "She's always wandering the kingdom helping people who are in trouble. She could be anywhere. Also, your father's not going to like it when he hears you're sneaking out."

There was no point in trying to stop the prince, let alone change his mind. "I'm certain," he says, climbing a tree near a wall. "There's no harm in paying a surprise visit. Besides, I hear it's her birthday." Then he winks and climbs over the wall. Rilou sighs and follows him.

Out in the desert, Mystery was on her way to Council Rock to meet up with her friends, the great beasts of legend. The council was led by three majestic stags known as the Swords of Justice. Their names were Cobalion, Virizion, and Terrakion. Joining the Swords of Justice were three noble dogs named Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, dragon twins named Latios and Latias, a celestial being named Cresselia, and a colt named Keldeo. These divine monsters taught Mystery everything she knew about honor, loyalty, trust, and what it meant to fight for others. Training her as if she was their apprentice, they taught Mystery how to battle and what she had to do when someone was in danger. She even helped them rescue any human and monster in danger. There were mightier and wiser monsters, but they hardly ever made themselves known to humans and had their own domains.

The council knew from the royals that Mystery was the true heiress of Millennia and took great honor in training and guiding Mystery for when she would be ready to claim her destiny. Even though the Millennium Star was her birthright, she had to prove she was worthy of Millennia's power.

Jirachi and Mystery stop and kneel as they approach their friends. "My noble friends, it is an honor to be in your presence," Mystery tells them.

"Welcome, Mystery," Virizion tells her. "We are glad you and Jirachi could come and visit us again. It is always a pleasure for you to join us."

"Aren't you forgetting something," asked Jirachi. "It's Mystery's birthday today."

"We didn't forget," said Keldeo. "But we didn't bring any presents unfortunately."

Mystery just smiled. "That's all right. I never expect anything from you. You are all my friends and that is enough of a gift for me."

Cresselia hums and smiles. "Well, that's very sweet, dear."

Cobalion clears his throat. "All right, everyone. Gather around quietly. The council will begin shortly." The monsters all form a circle. As always, Mystery sits between the twins. "Mystery, I must apologize for starting the meeting so soon, but I believe it is in your best interest to be here today. This actually involves you."

Her eyes widen. "It does? How so?"

"As you know, Mystery, we council members have served the royal family to help keep the peace and bring justice to the kingdom. We and the royal guard have worked together and helped each other carry out this task. We do not always ask for help from a human, let alone take one as an apprentice. But you have been an exception. Have you often wondered why?"

Mystery gulps and asks, "Is it because I am the heiress of the Great Goddess Millennia?" The council starts gasping and asks Mystery how she knew. "I just discussed the matter this morning with my parents. I told them about the dream I had and shared with all of you."

"Well, it's true," said Terrakion. "You're Millennia's true heiress. That's why we decided to teach you everything you needed to know as if you were one of us."

"Your training has paid off, Mystery," said Entei. "You have followed us well and displayed great optimism, bravery, loyalty, and have proven you care about others."

"Today we will go to the palace and consult with his Excellency," Suicune promised. "Though we believe you are ready, he will have to decide for himself since he is the one who guards the Star."

Mystery faces everyone and asks them, "But once I claim the Millennium Star, does this mean I will no longer be your student?"

"Not in the same way you always have been," answered Cobalion. "But we will always be here if you need us. For now, we are all your students." Then they all lower their heads and bow.

"But please understand," Virizion was saying, "we've always thought of you as a friend more than a mere student alone. There may be nothing left for us to teach you, but we will always be here to help one another."

"And when I claim the Millennium Star, what then?" questioned Mystery.

"You will have many new teachers to guide you," Raikou told her. "Royal magicians and warriors. They may even ask you to join the royal academy for spellcasters."

So many thoughts were pouring inside Mystery's head. She always dreamed of becoming a magician like her father. But she loved going out and exploring the kingdom also. Claiming her destiny meant having a lot of responsibilities to take in. If it was something she wanted, she knew she would have to commit to it.

Suddenly, a messenger comes flying in and approaches the council. It was Shaymin, a little monster like Jirachi. "Sorry to interrupt the meeting, everybody," she said, a little out of breath. "But we've got a problem. There's a boy stuck in the middle of the river and I think he's drowning. Zoras are keeping the crocodiles at bay, but he needs help getting back to shore."

"Oh, no, we have to help him!" cried Mystery. She climbs on Suicune's back and Shaymin leads them to the river. By the time they get there, they see a Zoran child trying to help the boy get to shore, but the boy keeps struggling to keep himself above the surface. It was clear to Mystery that the boy didn't know how to swim and would drown if he kept panicking like that. She slips her sandals off her feet and immediately dives in the water. She reaches him and tells him to stop. "You need to calm down. You're going to drown if you don't relax."

"Please help," he cries. "I can't swim,"

"I know, but trust me. Put your arm over me and use the other one to stroke. After that, just kick as if you're walking on the ground."

Knowing his life was at stake, he does as told and begins waving and kicking smoothly. Mystery is the first to get out of the water as she touches the shore and takes the boy's arm to pull him up. He gets on his knees and chokes the water out of his system.

"Well, that was refreshing," joked Mystery, squeezing her dress to get the water out. The boy took off his hat to wring out the water. Looking at him, Mystery noticed he had blonde hair; another uncommon trait for the Egyptian people. Other than that, he had brown eyes, which was very common.

He stands up, puts his hat back on, and tells Mystery, "I owe you my life. You and your monster friends."

"Oh, no need to mention it," she tells him. "Not to sound rude and I know it probably isn't my business, but if you can't swim, why are you here?"

"Well, I-" but he stops himself once he finally looks at Mystery. His mouth barely opens up and his eyes shine. _Wow! She's so beautiful. Much better-looking than that other girl. _He slowly starts to smile, but then he comes back to his senses and remembers, "That girl! I've got to teach her a lesson for shoving me!" He starts to run off, but Mystery stops him. Feeling embarrassed, he stops, turns around, remembers his manners, and introduces himself as Joseph.

"My name is Mystery," she tells him. "And this is Jirachi. Sorry, but did you say a girl shoved you in the river? Who was it?"

Instead of answering her, Joseph gives her a surprised look and asks, "Mystery? _The_ Mystery? The hero of the desert, that Mystery?"

She couldn't help but chuckle. She was used to getting this kind of reaction every time she helped someone new. She nods and asks again what girl he was talking about.

Joseph felt embarrassed for not answering any of Mystery's questions. He apologizes and explains, "Well, I come here every morning to fetch water and bring it home to my parents." Then he turns to face two full buckets next to his guardian beast Trapinch. "My friend and I were on our way here and we saw a young girl dressed in tattered clothes. I got a closer look at her and saw she had bruises and scars all over her. But I thought she looked kind of cute. Short black hair, gold eyes, y'know her?"

Mystery and Jirachi had met and help lots of people all around the kingdom over the years. Many of them had the same physical appearance and she recognized some of them. But she didn't recall ever coming across a girl based upon Joseph's description. She and Jirachi shake their heads.

"No? Well, I saw her sitting here by herself and figured someone like her shouldn't be all alone like that. She looked awfully upset and I thought maybe I could help her. I said 'hello', asked for her name and why she was by herself. She asked me why I cared, I told her I was curious, she got up and said I was being nosy and to leave her alone. I moved closer to her to try and cheer her up, but she pushed me into the water and walked away laughing."

"That's horrible!"

"I agree, Jirachi, that was a bad thing to do," said Mystery.

Joseph bends down to pick up his buckets. "Well, thank you again for your help. We'd better be getting home now. Come on, Trapinch."

"Do you need help carrying those," offered Mystery. "Is your home far from here?"

He kindly refuses. "I'll be all right. But listen, I come here every morning, so if you ever want to see me again, I'll be here tomorrow. We can get together and get to know each other. I think it'd be kind of nice being friends with the hero of the desert."

Mystery and Jirachi both liked the sound of that. They thought Joseph seemed very nice and seemed like he would be a good friend. So they agreed to meet again tomorrow and decided to go their separate ways. Suicune even decided to take Mystery and Jirachi back to the city. On the way, Mystery started to wonder if she should have told Joseph who she really was. Well, there was no rush and they would meet again soon.

Suicune dropped them off at the first street of the city. It was as far as he wanted go. After all, he didn't want to attract unwanted attention from the villagers. It wasn't a problem for the friends. Jirachi used his teleportation powers and brought Mystery and himself to the marketplace. Already, people were taking notice of them and smiling at them. It is hard for a hero and her friend to walk through town unnoticed.

The young girl and her monster were walking through the marketplace browsing at every stand and wondering what to buy. There were times when Jirachi wanted to use the money Serin gave Mystery to buy her a present, but thought twice because it wouldn't be a surprise.

One woman called for Mystery's attention and asked her to come over. "Well, Mystery out doing what you do best?"

She nods. "I never get tired of it."

"You know, you're an inspiration to the Egyptian people. It makes us all want to be as caring as you. You certainly know how to make this place peaceful and help everybody get along."

Mystery starts blushing. She was used to being flattered like this.

"Anyway, your mama came by earlier and told me today's your birthday. I'll be over your house tonight for dinner, if that's all right for you."

"Oh, yes, of course," she immediately said. "I would love for you to come over."

"All right then," the woman says and smiles. She turns around, picks up an apple and gives it to Mystery. "Here, happy birthday. Consider it a gift. Besides, you can't save the day on an empty stomach, now can you?"

Jirachi and Mystery chuckle and kindly accept her generosity. They bid her good-bye and start back on their walk. Mystery decides she wants to share her gift with Jirachi and asks for his help. Using his psychic powers, Jirachi splits the apple in half and they happily start eating.

Watching from behind a house, Riolu's stomach starts rumbling. He faces Atems and asks him, "How much longer? I'm getting awfully hungry."

The prince was also feeling hungry and knew it would soon be time for lunch. But he had to keep being patient for a little while. "It won't be long now. I promise." Peeking from behind, he sees Mystery and Jirachi coming closer to them. "There they are," he whispers to himself. He picks up Riolu and holds him in his arms so he can get a better view.

Riolu smiles and sighs. "They look just like how we remembered them. Oh, I can't wait." The prince was happy to see a change in his friend's attitude. He knew he would be just as excited.

Jirachi was about to take one last bite from his apple until he stopped and turned around. He lifts himself higher above Mystery and starts sniffing the air.

"Is something wrong, Jirachi?" Mystery asks as she finishes eating.

He lowers himself and sits back down on her head. "For a moment, I thought I sensed a familiar friend. Maybe it's the new incenses. They always clear up my sinuses and they smell nice. Besides, some of the village girls are always walking around with that scent."

Mystery knew where Jirachi was going with this. Even she knew girls her age would always color their cheeks and lips and change their scents to attract young boys. Mystery always liked herself the way she was and paid no attention to what other children said about the way she looked. She didn't even mind not coloring or decorating herself with makeup or jewelry. Other than that, boys were serious about being taken in by her beauty, but pretended to be in love with her. That didn't matter to her. There was only one boy who liked Mystery for who she was, the way she was and who she liked just as much: the prince. Mystery hoped she would be able to see him once she would go to the palace today. She missed him and couldn't stop thinking about him.

Her mind was completely on the prince, she didn't pay attention to where she was going. Jirachi stops her by pulling her hair. "Mystery, look where you're going," he groans.

Mystery comes back to her senses after feeling the pain from her hair being pulled. Looking down, she sees wonderful jewelry and apologizes to the seller for almost crashing into his merchandise. "I am so sorry, sir, I was distracted. Is anything broken? I can buy it to avoid trouble."

The seller chuckles and places a hand on Mystery's head. "Take it easy, child, nothing's broken. But if you do want to buy something, take what you like. I'll even lower the prices for a beautiful and well-mannered girl like you."

Both Mystery and Jirachi could see that this man was new in the marketplace. He was a nomad and loved going from town to town to sell treasures from different lands. But they were interested in his merchandise. There were stones, dolls, woven carpets, wooden masks, and jewelry. But what really caught Mystery's attention was a necklace made of yellow beads and containing a blue pendant with a crescent moon. "I think I would like this necklace, please."

"An excellent choice, my dear," the nomad said, giving her the necklace and taking the pieces of silver from her hand. He faces Jirachi and asks him, "And what can I offer a unique little monster such as yourself?" Before Jirachi can answer, the nomad offers, "Perhaps this Dawn Stone?" and holds up a smooth stone the color of a robin's egg.

Jirachi's eyes shine. He knew that many Magical Creatures could evolve by touching an evolutionary stone like the one the man was holding, but he had no use for a Dawn Stone. "Well, it's nice of you to offer, but I don't have any money. I couldn't buy anything from you if I wanted to."

He just chuckled again. "Nonsense, my boy, I don't ask for anything from Magical Creatures. You can take it as a gift. I insist."

Jirachi's smile widens. He finally accepts the offer and takes the Dawn Stone from the man's hand. But because it's too heavy for him to carry, he gives it to Mystery to put in her bag. "Thank you for sharing your treasures with us," Mystery and Jirachi say gratefully.

"Wrong, I've given them to you," he clarified. "But I hope to be seeing you more often," he calls as he watches them walk off.

"All right, Jirachi," Mystery was saying. "It's time we paid our royal friends a visit. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Oh, boy, oh, boy," Jirachi said excitedly. "I can't wait to go back. It's been so long and I've missed everybody." Jirachi had been friends with Mystery for many years. Though this Magical Creature was known to only make itself known for seven nights and grant wishes, then sleep for a thousand years, the one that was friends with Mystery was able to stay awake for limitless time due to the presence of the Millennium Star.

"I have missed everybody as well," Mystery tells him. Then she sighs and starts daydreaming again. "Especially the prince," she whispers to herself. "But I have to admit, I am quite nervous. It has been a while and this is my first time going to the palace without Mama or Papa."

Jirachi sits on Mystery's shoulder and hugs her face to comfort her. "Don't worry, I'm here with you. And I'm sure you'll feel better once you see his young highness," he teased. Even he could sense that his human partner was in love. He had sensed it since Mystery's last day together with the prince. Since then, she had thought of nothing but him.

Overhearing their discussion and watching them pass through the streets, Prince Atem knew that this was the perfect opportunity to surprise her. "All right, Riolu, you know what to do."

Riolu takes a few steps forward, turns to face the prince, smiles at him, and winks. "You bet. Leave it to me." Then he gets in front of Mystery and Jirachi, starts groaning, falls down, and puts both paws on his right leg.

Mystery gets down on her knees. "Oh, dear, what happened? Are you hurt?" Then she gently picks Riolu up off the ground. "It's all right, I've got you." Riolu keeps pretending to cry and rubs his knee. Mystery gently places her finger on his knee and starts rubbing it. Riolu stops crying and smiles at Mystery. "Do you feel better?" Mystery asks. Riolu lifts himself up and wraps his little arms around her to thank her. "Why, you're very welcome," she tells him.

"I think he likes you," Jirachi told her. Riolu keeps hugging and laughing. Seeing Atem, he winks to give him the signal. Atem takes the signal, sneaks up from behind Mystery, grabs her, and takes her behind a house. Seeing his friend is in trouble, Jirachi growls and bites Atem in the hand to make him lose his grip.

"Ow," he yelps. "That wasn't necessary. I didn't mean any harm." Mystery finally stops struggling and opens her eyes, surprised to see that her captor is Atem himself. "Remember me?"

"My prince! Oh, I am so sorry if I hurt you," Mystery tells him. Jirachi apologizes as well for biting him. "But you really scared me." Jirachi gets to the ground and apologizes to Riolu for not recognizing him. The royal monster forgives his friend and they start hugging and laughing.

"I never meant to frighten you," Atem confessed. "I just wanted to surprise you. It has been so long since you and I last saw each other."

Tears fill Mystery's eyes. "I know," she says slowly, "and I've really missed you," and tries to lift her hand to hold his. She suddenly stops herself. Atem was her friend, but he was still royalty and she had to be careful. "I was just on my way to the palace to see your father."

"Is that so," asked the prince. "Well, if you would like, I can take you to see him." Mystery couldn't stop shining and she felt her heart racing. She would finally be able to catch up with her oldest friend. She kindly accepts his offer. Together, they start sneaking through the alleys and make their way to the palace gates. "Are you nervous," asked Atem.

"Awfully," Mystery admitted. "I mean, I want to see your father and everyone else, but…" she stops herself and asks, "Can I tell you something personal?" Atem smiles and nods. Mystery takes a deep breath and says, "Well, today I just found out from my parents that I am Millennia's true heiress and now I am about to ask for the Millennium Star."

The prince understood. He had learned about that from his father, but he had also heard about Mystery training under the beasts of legend and rescuing everyone in danger. That made him believe Mystery was worthy of Millennia's power and ready to accept her destiny. He takes Mystery's hand and tells her, "You need not worry, I will be right here with you."


	6. New Friends and Mystery's First Love

New Friends and Mystery's First Love

As the four friends walk through the palace gates, Mystery starts looking around in wonder with every step she takes. The palace was just as she remembered and as she saw in her dreams. Atem notices a change in her mood and asks, "Are you feeling better?" Obviously, her answer was 'yes'. She was happy to be back in the palace and so many memories were flashing before her eyes. She remembered Serin carrying her on his shoulders as they walked across the hall she was walking across right now.

Riolu faces Jirachi and asks him, "Jirachi, would you like to come with me to the palace courtyard and play with the other royal monsters?" Jirachi faces Mystery and asks for permission. Knowing Jirachi's childish maturity would get the better of him in the presence of the king, she nods and decides to let him go. Together, the two monsters go to the courtyard to play and catch up. They even agreed their human friends could use some quality time together.

The calm and serene atmosphere soon disappears with the sound of a girl's cries and men yelling. Facing her front, Mystery sees soldiers holding a young girl by her arms. Looking closer, she notices her clothes are tattered, she has scars and bruises all over her skin, golden eyes, and black hair touching her shoulders. _That girl matches Joseph's description. Could she be the girl who pushed him in the river?_

"I've heard enough of your lies, Luna," King Aknamkanon tells the servant girl.

"I'm not lying," she cries. "I swear I don't know where the prince is. I never saw him after I returned from the river." Hearing her say that made Mystery wonder if her assumption was right. Luna cries again as one soldier pushes her down to the ground.

Unable to take any more, Atem runs to the throne room and begs the soldiers to stop. "Let her go. I am right here. Do not punish Luna for something she is not responsible for." Seeing that it's all a misunderstanding, the soldiers ease their grips. Luna breaks free and starts running.

Mystery stops Luna and grabs her arm. "Wait, you are hurt. Let me help you," she says compassionately. Even if she was the one who pushed Joseph in the river, there was no reason for her to be punished in such a manner. Mystery knew it was wrong to offend others, but that didn't mean others had any right to harm them for their wrongdoings.

"Let me go, you wench," Luna screams and swings her other arm, hitting Mystery across her face, causing her to fall back and cry out in pain. Luna keeps sobbing as she leaves the throne room and searches for a place of solitude.

"Mystery," Atem cries and runs to her. "Are you all right," he asks as he lifts her up.

She places her hand over her face and answers, "That really hurt." Mystery had never been attacked like that before. There had been times when she had been cut or scraped on her rescue adventures, but they were easy to tend to. If she said being struck in the face was nothing compared to what she had been through, that would be a lie and there was no point in saying so because she was starting to cry.

Hearing Mystery's name surprised some of the royals. "Mystery? Serin's daughter?"

"It _is_ Serin's daughter!"

The pharaoh himself was delighted to see the daughter of one of his subjects. "Mystery, come forward," he softly ordered.

She does as told and stands before the king. "Yes, it is true. Serin is my father's name. And my mother's name is Shira."

"Mystery, my dear child, it has been so long since I last saw you. I have also heard of your heroic efforts from our brothers, the great beasts of legend. There is no denying you have proven your worth of accepting the Millennium Star." The king had spoken to the Swords of Justice earlier when the Council was dismissed and told him everything they had discussed this morning, so there was no need to mention the detail about Mystery discovering herself being Millennia's true heiress. He immediately summoned Luna back to the throne room.

The servant girl returned still sobbing and with her face stained with tears. "Yes, my king," she said quietly, keeping her distance and watching as though frightened everyone would gather around her and start beating her.

"Go to the royal treasury and come back with a small golden chest. Inside, you will find the Millennium Star. Be careful not to touch the Star, or else terrible consequences will follow."

"Yes, my Lord. Right away." And she ran off to the royal treasury. Looking at Luna, Mystery could see in her eyes that the poor girl had seen better days. But she couldn't help but wonder what Luna could have done to deserve such cruel treatment. It wasn't long until Luna returned with the chest she was asked to bring back. King Aknamkanon takes the chest from her and explains to Mystery the origin of the Millennium Star one more time to her and that she would know all of the spells of the Great Goddess.

Mystery takes the chest from the king and slowly opens it. She could feel a strange, yet familiar presence; as if it was something she felt when she first came into contact with the Star. After completely opening the chest, the Millennium Star slowly emerges. Mystery lifts her hand and gently touches it. The Star shines brightly, circles around Mystery, and rushes towards her; straight inside her heart. A white light surrounds her Mystery and she starts to feel her body changing. White wings grow out of her back and she felt so many different temperatures inside her as if the heat of the desert had disappeared.

"Mystery, you have wings!" Atem gasped. Mystery turned her head and saw that he was right. But what surprised her even more was that she was actually willing them. Trying to relax and concentrate, she folds her wings back and they sink back in her skin. It was all new to her, but at the same time, it was natural to her.

"Remember, young child," the pharaoh explains, "you have now been blessed with all of the powers of the Great Goddess herself. You must use them not only for yourself, but for everyone else as well. Though the Millennium Star may rest in your heart now, it will be passed down to your firstborn daughter."

Mystery was surprised to hear that. It had often been told that in Millennia's family, the firstborn daughter would be blessed with all of her powers and know all of her secrets. Also that the firstborn child would always be a daughter. The same had been said about the Dark Lord Cobalt and his family; that a son would always be born first unto his family. King Aknamkanon cautioned Mystery about meeting the true heir of Cobalt, for he would be a threat not only to her, but to the Egyptian people and the rest of the world.

Mystery kneels in gratitude and acknowledgement. "Thank you, my pharaoh, for telling me more about the Millennium Star and who I am." Then she stands up and smiles. "I came to claim my destiny, and I have done so. I know there is no reason for me to stay any longer, but I would like to with your permission."

King Aknamkanon smiles and chuckles. "Mystery, my dear, you have always been a welcome guest to the palace. You may stay as long as you wish."

Atem has happy to hear that. He wanted Mystery to stay and they still had some catching up to do. Mystery felt just as happy. She liked being with Atem, but now she was certain that she was beginning to love him. Other than that, Mystery would be able to tell the king how her parents were doing and they would meet the royals as well someday.

As the two children wandered through the palace looking for some familiar places where they used to play together, their memories of their early childhood together started coming to mind. There was one room upstairs in particular that Mystery remembered. When she and the prince walked in, she started remembering all that happened. They were playing together until the floor suddenly started shaking. Atem saw how scared Mystery was and pulled her to a corner of the room and held her tight to protect her. When the tremor stopped, Mystery calmed down and started hugging her prince. He was surprised at first, but he started hugging her back. Before Mystery was taken home, she promised Atem that she would repay him for being there when she was scared. Protecting her was an inspiration to her actually; giving Mystery the thought about being there for those in need of help or protection no matter what the situation. Of course, Mystery still had to repay her debt to Atem though.

After walking through the palace and talking about the past as well as present times, they finally came to the courtyard and found Jirachi and Riolu chasing each other; reminding them how they used to run around in play like that and even help each other climb trees. They never climbed far up. The closest they ever climbed was the first branch they could reach. After all, they were both three years old at the time.

Atem and Mystery sat down near the water to enjoy a short snack. While eating, Mystery caught a glance at Luna again. She just glared, and it was making Mystery feel uneasy.

"What ails you?" Atem asked, noticing the distressed look on Mystery's face. Following her gaze, he answers his own question. "Her? Oh, that's Luna. No one is allowed to talk to her or go near her; not even me."

"That is unfair!" Mystery protested, finding herself feeling sorry for Luna and wondering what she had gone through in life. She asked Atem to tell her about the poor girl. It was against his father's orders, but he told Mystery everything he knew about her.

Luna was born in a village in the outskirts, but had been brought to the palace after her birth. She learned from her foster mother at an early age that she was a Dark; a child of Cobalt from the village of Kul Elna. The servant who found her still raised Luna as her own child and the royals treated her as one of them, but it was as if her dark heritage got the better of her. As a little girl, Luna was very smart and a fast learner, but had a short temper as well as a hard time fitting in outside her kind.

"We still try to take good care of Luna and teach her to be one of us, but her behavior is unacceptably horrid. Other than that, she escapes to the outskirts every night. But everyone has been keeping a close watch on her since the incident," Atem explained.

That got Mystery's attention and made her more curious. "What happened?" Though she knew it clearly wasn't her business, she still thought there was something she could do to help Luna though she didn't know her very well. It couldn't be helped since she felt the same way for the rest of her people and her monster friends.

As much as it pained Atem to think about it and talk about the matter in Luna's presence, he felt Mystery had a right to know as if he knew what she was thinking. "Well, long ago, her parents came to the palace to take her back. She didn't want to go with them, but they promised her that she could go to them if anything happened. Well…"

"What? What happened? Please tell me." Then Mystery turned and saw Luna scowling with her arms crossed.

"Talking about me again, huh? That's not very nice for the so-called princess of light. So you want to hear the rest of the story, huh? Well, I'll tell you. The next day, my parents," she said with a sneer and a terrible glow of anger in her eyes, "my parents were found dead. They all think I did it- no! You can't hide it from me, Prince!" She shouted and spat at his shoes. "But as much as I'd like to take the credit, I didn't do it. There, end of story. Happy?" Then she marched off and jumped to a tree in front of them, ripped of an apple, and began eating it.

Mystery started to regret being curious about something that didn't concern her and that she couldn't change. She apologized under her breath, but no one could hear her.

To make Mystery feel assured, Atem tells her, "I apologize for her yelling like that, but you needn't worry, I will make sure it won't happen again."

She accepts his apology and asks him if there's anyone in the palace she could meet.

He thought for a moment, then saw a little girl behind her. "Look behind you."

Mystery does as told and looks at her. She had long dark brown hair and dark green eyes. Her name was Mana and she was only eight years old, but a very good friend to Atem. He figured she would be pleased to meet Mystery and Jirachi. As they got closer to her, they saw that Mana was trying to reach a plum from a tree. She kept jumping, but couldn't reach. Mystery picked it for her and gave it to her. "Unnh! Here you are."

"Oh, thank you, miss," she said and took a bite. Then she looked at Mystery with wide eyes. "You!" she squealed. "Don't tell me, I know your name." She was trying to think, but Mystery told her anyway. Mana shook her hand and introduced herself. Jirachi introduced himself as well, but Mana became overjoyed by his cute little face and asked Mystery if she could hold him.

"Jirachi will not bite," Mystery told her, "He is very friendly." But Mana didn't want to just hold Jirachi, she wanted to hug him just for being cute. Everyone laughed. Mystery smiled at Atem for a moment and started blushing.

Atem faces Mystery and stops laughing. "Are you all right? Why is your face red like that?"

Feeling embarrassed, she looks away and blushes even more.

"There you are," said the voice of a young man.

Everyone turns and sees him approaching them. Walking with him was a green and white monster named Kirlia. Kirlia looked feminine, but was actually a male. Even the boy's long brown hair made him look feminine. "Let me guess," Atem tells him, "My father asked you to look after me."

"Well, knowing Luna can't do a good job," the young man answers. He turns his attention to Mystery and smiles. "Mystery, isn't it?"

She nods and holds out her hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, uhh…"

He finishes for her and introduces himself as Mahad. Then he takes Mystery's hand, places it close to his lips and kisses it. "The pleasure is all mine, Mystery." Mahad was very much older than the others; an age of thirteen, but still somewhat of a child and another friend to the prince.

Jirachi moves away from Mana so he can introduce himself to Mahad. As he does so, Mystery puts her eyes back on the prince, smiles, and starts blushing again. Then she gasps, seeing a black snake hanging from a branch and getting ready to strike. "Watch out! Behind you!" Mystery cries, warning Atem. The snake opens its mouth and loudly hisses, but before it can strike, Mystery shoves Atem out of the way and lets the snake bite her instead. She lets out a cry of pain feeling its fangs pierce her skin and the venom spreading inside her.

"No, Mystery!" Atem gasps. Then the snake finally releases itself.

"My prince, are you all right?" Mystery asks as the snake slithers away. Mana yelps of fear and grabs Jirachi. Then tears fill her eyes and she starts wailing.

"I am fine," the prince answered. "What about you?"

Mystery gets up to her knees and whimpers from the pain. "Worry not about me," she tells him, more concerned about his safety than her own health.

"Don't move." He took her arm and put his lips to where the bite was.

"No, my prince. The future pharaoh needn't do this," Mahad was debating. "Please, allow me to help her."

But the prince refused. Mystery saved him and he owed her. He explains that to Mahad and tells him, "Besides, any one of us would do the same for each other if it meant taking a bite from a snake or trying to extract the poison. Not because I am prince or because Mystery is a hero or because you are my protector, but because we are all friends and friends care about each other." He smiles and finishes by saying, "And someday, when we're all big enough and I become pharaoh, I know all of you will be standing by my side. I will be there for you as well. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Mystery's eyes start shining. "I shall protect you no matter what, Prince Atem," she vows. "I would have it no other way either." She promises the same thing to Mana and Mahad.

Appreciating her promise, Atem comes back to his senses and tells her, "Now, I'm sure the poison has been extracted, but to be sure and safe, you should perform a healing spell."

Mystery was shocked to hear that. Now that she had the powers of the Millennium Star, she could perform one of her healing spells, but she wouldn't know which spell to perform. Other than that, she had never cast magic before.

Luckily for her, Mahad could help. He was a student in the magical arts and had studied all kinds of different spells; even those of the Great Goddess. "I read in a spellbook that a good spell with the power to heal poisonings and burns is a water-based spell called Remedy. Close your eyes and think about that," he encouraged.

She does as told, closes her eyes, and starts concentrating_. Great Goddess Millennia, give me your strength. Allow me to heal my wound and dilute the poisoning with the power of Remedy_. A blue light surrounds her hand and gives off a refreshing feeling like flowing water. Mystery places her hand over the bite and her arm starts to feel better. She finally opens her eyes, removes her hand, the light fades, the bite marks are gone, and the pain stops. Amazed, she starts cheering for herself. "My first spell! And it worked!" Mana, Mahad, Atem, and the monsters start cheering as well and give kind complements.

"Everyone, I wish to speak to Mystery alone for a while," Atem suddenly said. No one objected, so they left to another spot. Even Luna, who was resting in her own tree, got up and left.

"What is it, my prince? Is something wrong?"

He shakes his head. Then he clears his throat and asks, "Do you remember all those years ago when we were always playing together as little children? And do you remember the sudden shake that scared you so much, I held you to make you feel safe?"

"Yes, I remember," she answers. "And I promised I would one day repay you for what you did." Mystery started wondering if that was what this was about; wondering if he was telling her that her debt had been paid. Not only that, but her face was turning red again; only lightly this time. Also, her heart was racing; telling her to accept her feelings for him.

"Well," Atem says, not looking at her, "after what you did just now, I believe you have kept your promise and saved me from an instant death. But I also need you to know-" He suddenly stops himself once he finally faces her. "Mystery, your face is turning red again. And sweat is spreading down your brow. Are you perhaps feeling a bit unwell?"

She shakes her head. When Atem asks again what the problem is, Mystery knows she has to tell him. Slowly, she starts with, "My prince, please do not get overexcited, but I think you need to hear me say this." Then she takes a deep breath and finally tells him, "I… I love you."

Atem was amazed to hear her say that, but he managed to remain calm and smile at her. "May I tell you something? The something I've been meaning to tell you before I asked you if you were all right?" He asked as he placed his hand in hers and looked with eyes shining with anticipated happiness. "Mystery, I love you too."

Excited to hear that, she smiles and asks him, "You do? You really do?"

"Of course. Since the very day we first met, I liked you as a friend at first. But when we said 'good-bye', I started to fall in love with you. Now it is official that my feelings for you have been accepted. I love you," he said proudly. Then they both hugged each other. He let her go for a minute and reached into his pocket. "I heard today was your birthday and I thought I could give you a present." He held out his hand, revealing a shell containing pink coloring. "This was my mother's, but I would like you to have it."

"Your mother's," asked Mystery. "Are you sure you want to give it to me? I really don't-"

"I know you said you didn't like coloring yourself and honestly, I like you the way you are," Atem interrupted. "You don't have to take it if you don't want it, but why don't you try it on?"

She takes the coloring and looks at it. She smiles at Atem and promises to give it a chance. "Is it all right for me to keep it if I do like it?"

He nods at her. "I have another present. Close your eyes." Mystery does as told. Then she fells his lips touch her cheek. It was another reason Atem wanted to be alone with her. He feared his friends would be jealous if they saw him confessing his feelings.

Mystery giggled feeling Atem kiss her. She opens her eyes and sighs sweetly at him. Then she feels her hands in his. She wishes to herself that this day would never end, but then she starts to worry about the time. Wondering how long she had been away from home, she faces the sky and notices the afternoon is ending. "I had better go get Jirachi." And she and Atem walk to the rest of their friends. "We have to go home now, Jirachi."

"Already?" he asks her. "But we just got here." Mana agreed with him.

"We will come back and visit."

"Promise? Soon?" Mana and Jirachi ask in unison. They face each other and laugh.

Mystery smiles and gives her word. Saying 'good-bye' to her friends, she returns to the throne room and thanks the king for his hospitality. She also says 'good-bye' to his courtiers.

"Come back anytime," one of them told her. "And say 'hello' to your parents for us."

She nods and bows to show her respect. Slowly, she and Jirachi walk out of the palace, race through the gates, and run the rest of the way home. _This is the best birthday ever._


	7. White and Black Dragons

White and Black Dragons

When Mystery made it close to her house, she saw her parents and waved to them. "Mama! Papa!" she calls out and runs to them.

Shira and Serin wave as well, happy to see her. Holding out his arms, Serin catches her and asks, "And why the special greeting, my dear?"

"Oh, no reason," answered Mystery.

"Welcome home, Mystery," Shira says, hugging her. She rubs Jirachi's head and tells him the same thing. "We were starting to get worried about you two. We didn't expect you to be out playing for so long."

Trying not to argue, Jirachi explains, "But we weren't just playing, Shira. We were at the palace."

Shira and Serin weren't surprised to hear him say that. Jirachi and Mystery did plan on going to the palace. As they went inside for dinner, Shira started asking so many questions and Serin tried making jokes. Even the woman from the marketplace was interested in hearing about what happened.

Now that the story of the Millennium Star was behind them, Mystery could finally mention all the new friends she made today, but before she could even start, Shira said, "So come on, tell us. Did you have fun at the palace? Was everyone nice to you?"

Mystery smiles and nods. She didn't want to mention Luna and her behavior, so she instead talked about Mana, Mahad, and Prince Atem and how friendly they were to her. It made Shira and Serin happy to hear that their daughter finally had human friends to play with. It even made their guest laugh to hear that Mystery was in love with the prince and that she would make a great wife for him.

"Before I forget to mention," then Mystery faces Serin and tells him, "Papa, the king and his courtiers have asked me to tell you they said 'hello' and hope you and Mama are doing well."

"Well, I guess I'll have to go back to the palace myself," Serin says and finishes his meal. Their guest finishes eating as well, thanks them for the meal, and returns to her own home.

The sun finally sets and everyone is dressed for bed. Shira and Serin tell Mystery and Jirachi 'good night' and retire to their room for bed. Before Mystery climbs into bed, she gets down on her knees and starts praying to the Egyptian Gods, thanking them for helping her make her dreams come true and start her destiny. To finish her prayers, she asks for blessings and forgiveness. Jirachi prayed as well, but was too sleepy to finish. Mystery giggles, covers herself up and tells Jirachi 'good night' and that she loves him, and closes her eyes to sleep.

Meanwhile, the members of Council Rock were making a few final rounds out in the desert to make sure everything was all right. They had to be careful since thieves and murderers would always be out attacking at night and some wild beasts would be making mischief.

Flying in the sky, Latias and Latios see two young girls being attacked by several men. One of them looked like Mystery, but Latias knew she wouldn't allow herself to be captured so easily. Other than that, Jirachi wasn't there, so it couldn't be Mystery. In fact, she was a completely different person named Kisara and the black-haired girl standing next to her was her cousin Freya. Latias sees Kisara being captured by the men while Freya escapes with her Umbreon. Latios tells his sister to find Mystery while he follows Freya in case she ends up in trouble.

Watching from the sky, he sees her being surrounded by a group of young boys. They stop her and help her try to calm down. Thinking she's in good hands with them, he leaves her and goes back to look for her cousin.

Leaving her was a mistake. The boys took notice that her eyes were red and they started calling her a witch and other bad names. Not far away, Joseph saw what was going on. He had recognized those boys from his village and often got into fights with them for picking on other children. Unable to stand their cruelty, he runs to them and gets in front of Freya.

"Well, well," said the leader, "look who it is, guys. It's our old friend Joseph."

"Yeah, that's right," he tells them. "What's the meaning of taking advantage of this girl?"

"She deserves it. Look at her eyes. They're red as blood. Don't you know that having red eyes is a sign of demonic evil? She'll bewitch you and kill you."

Joseph does look at the girl, but not in fear. "Get up and escape. I'll take care of these guys." She nods and tells her Umbreon to follow her. After that, he starts growling and steadies himself, but before he can even land an attack, two boys grab his arms and hold him back. Their leader starts blowing punches to his stomach and face. Joseph gasps and groans.

"Have you had enough or do you want more?" The leader asks.

Joseph hisses and spits. "I never back down; not when I'm fighting for a friend." But as stubborn as he was in refusing to give in, he was being pushed passed his limits.

The boys start laughing and jeering; calling him a witch lover. But before any of them could finish him off, they stop and hear a loud roar. They face the sky and see a ferocious black dragon with red eyes. Frightened, the boys finally leave Joseph alone and start running. The dragon roars again and shoots a blast of fire at them.

Trying to get a clear vision, Joseph sees the boys being engulfed by the flames. He sees the dragon again, unsure of what to do. Should he thank the dragon for recusing him or watch in fear that it would attack him as well? The dragon just roars again, softly this time, and disappears. Joseph finally stands back up on his feet and wipes the blood from his lips. Wondering where the dragon could have gone, he looks around. He suddenly sees the girl he helped lying on the ground unconscious. Her Umbreon tries to revive her by licking her.

Joseph approaches them and asks, "What happened? I told her to escape." Then he kneels down to her. The Umbreon growls, then sniffs his hand. Her ears perk up and she licks him to show her gratitude for helping her and her companion. Joseph sighs and rubs her head. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you two." He looks at Freya again and sighs compassionately, finding her beautiful. Ignoring his pain from his beatings, he picks her up and carries her to his home. Her Umbreon follows him.

Latias finally makes it to Mystery's house and wakes her up. Mystery stirs and gasps. "Ah! You scared me! What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry for trespassing and I know it's late, but I need your help."

"What's wrong, Latias? Is someone in danger?"

"Uh-huh, a young girl who looks just like you has been captured by bandits. They're keeping her in a cage out in the desert. You've got to help her before something awful happens to her."

Mystery gasps and wakes Jirachi. Knowing there is no time to explain, she climbs out of her room, but rather than riding on Latias, she unfolds her wings and takes flight. On the way, Latias teaches Mystery how to use her wings and fly. She takes her friend's advice and her flying becomes less difficult. As wonderful as it was for Mystery, she had no time to enjoy it like it was an enchanted dream.

Down below, a young brown-haired boy with blue eyes was riding his horse. He stops and notices Mystery and Latias in the sky and decides to follow them.

The girls get closer to the camp. "This is it, Mystery. You rescue the girl and I'll distract the men."

"Thank you, Latias," Mystery tells her.

"Help!" they hear the girl cry.

"We are coming!" Mystery calls to her. The young boy following them stops as well. Hearing the cries, he knows someone is in trouble and he becomes determined to help. Mystery approaches the cage first and speaks to Kisara.

She gasps and asks, "Who are you?" Her blue-eyed, twin-tailed cat also jumps off of her lap and pokes her nose at Mystery.

"We're your friends," she answers, "and we've come to rescue you."

Noticing Mystery's wings, Kisara gasps again. Then she whispers to her cat, "Kirara, my prayers have been answered. An angel has answered my call and come to help us."

Mystery tells her to be quiet. She tells her the truth as well and says, "I'm not an angel, but I will help you and make sure you get out of here safely." The laughter of the men gets louder. Mystery gets behind the cage and watches to make sure no one is coming. Thankfully, they are still distracted by Latias' displays.

Some of the men talk about their plans for their next attack. "That prisoner's been nothing but trouble since we've captured her."

One of the thieves agrees and tells his friends, "Yeah, we should've run around in town like the rest of them." Then they start laughing again.

The leader speaks up and says, "Word of advice, men. In the next village, take no prisoners!"

Mystery slowly makes her way back to the front of the cage. She gasps and sees the boy who was following her from the desert. She silently gasps, but he claps her mouth and tells her not to talk.

"Quiet. I came to help. Do you want to rescue this girl?" he asked. Mystery and Jirachi nod. "Well, come on! Help me get her out!" and he starts beating the bars on the cage. He wasn't even surprised that the two girls looked alike and didn't even assume they were related.

Facing the camp, Mystery starts to worry that the sound of hitting the bars would get the attention of the thieves. "I need the both of you to stand back," she tells her new friends. Knowing what she needs to do, she holds up both of her hands and closes them into fists. Concentrating, she feels her left hand becoming as hot as fire and her right hand becoming cold and wet. She opens her palms and fire and water come rushing out of them; making the cage easily breakable. The boy hits the bars once again and creates an opening.

"You're safe now," Mystery says, helping Kisara climb out of the cage. "Let's go."

But as a man is sent to check on the prisoner, he notices what's going on and calls out, "Hey, what are you kids doing?"

"They're taking our prisoner!" another thief yells.

"Come on!" the boy says and jumps on his horse. Kisara holds her cat in her arms and jumps on after him. Mystery unfolds her wings, but stays low to the ground and close to her friends.

"After them!" a thief shouts as the children escape from the camp. "The girl is getting away!"

Hoping that they have gotten far enough away, the boy asks Mystery, "Anyone there?"

She looks back and tells him, "They're gone!"

"Then our job's done." He faces Kisara and tells her, "Take this horse to the next town. Trust me. The people there will be able to help you. Ride through the night if you must!" Suddenly, he jumps off, but keeps up with the horse.

"But what about you?" asked Kisara.

"Worry not about us," Mystery tells her. "Just go!"

"Who are you all?"

The boy is the first to tell her his name. "Seto!" Mystery and Jirachi tell her their names also.

"Good-bye, Seto! Thank you, Mystery! I shall repay you someday!" she calls as she rides away.

Seto and Mystery thank each other for their efforts. They both notice an orange glimmer coming from their front. "No! My village!" Seto gasps, seeing it was on fire. "It must have been those scoundrels. They'll pay for this!" he shouts and starts running. Mystery starts flying again and follows him to the village. She gets there first and starts casting water magic to put out the fire.

"Who do you think you are?" Seto shouts as he makes it to the village.

At first, Mystery doesn't know who he's talking to until she sees the same men from the camp running around the streets setting every house they encounter on fire. The leader holds up a torch and declares, "This land is ours! And we're taking it back!"

Instead of running with his fellow villagers or looking for his family, Seto gets closer to the thieves and tells them, "Get out! You don't belong here!"

They give Seto and Mystery their attention and say, "Look, it's those kids who freed our prisoner! Tell us where she is!"

"Leave us alone!" Seto tells them as he dodges them.

One of them grabs his arm as he tries to run away. "Get back here!"

"Wait!" Seto calls to Mystery as she escapes, but even more thieves catch him. "Hey, get your filthy hands off! Mystery, help me!" She finally stops running and heads back for Seto. As she tries to make them lose their grips and release him, she tells Jirachi to get help.

Amused by her efforts, the leader says, "So the girl wants to be a hero, huh? Then let's make her one!" as he throws his torch and sets another house on fire.

"No-o-o!" Seto screams. "Stop this! How could you? My home!"

Suddenly, everyone stops in their tracks and face the sky as they hear a strange roar. They all look up and see a white dragon with shining blue eyes above the burning village.

"What is that thing?" A thief asks.

"A monster!" Another yells. They all let go of Seto and start running. As Mystery helps Seto gets back on his feet, the dragon roars again and shoots a blast of white lightning from its mouth to the thieves.

"Get down!" Seto cries and pushes Mystery to the ground. He gets down as well, covers his eyes, and groans. Mystery screams watching the dragon kill the men. She and Seto both face the sky and look at the beast with amazement. But Mystery knew she had no time to be afraid or amazed. No matter what, the fire had to be put out. She no longer felt exhausted from performing so much magic either. It was as if the white dragon was giving her its strength.

People continued to run from their homes, some with small children and elders. Terrible screams ran through from those trapped and burned. Seto saw Mystery needed help, so he helped those who were trapped escape. At the same time, he hoped he would find his family. Jirachi returned with Keldeo and Suicune and they used their powers of water to douse the flames.

The hours passed and the fire was finally put out. Mystery, Jirachi, and Seto remained in the middle. As it turned out, there was no sign of his mother. He wasn't able to find her in his home, so he assumed she escaped. But he also feared he lost her. He found his two monsters Bagon and Swablu, but not even they could tell him where she was. "Gone. Every part of my village, gone," Seto said on his knees, looking at the destruction from the fire. Some houses could be repaired, but the damage was too great for other homes.

Mystery sets her hand on Seto's shoulder and apologizes. "I tried my best," she said sincerely.

Fighting back the tears in his eyes, he smiles and tells her, "It's not your fault. You saved my life and that's what's important." He was very fortunate to be alive even though he lost his home and family. He knew he had to be strong and move ahead because it was something his friends and family would want. "I know who you are," he suddenly tells her. "You're the hero of the desert. I never thought I'd live to actually meet you."

"Perhaps you also need to know I am the true heiress of the Great Goddess Millennia."

"I know. How else could you fly or cast magic?" asked Seto. He and Mystery both chuckle. "Hey, Mystery? I'm sorry about my rough behavior with the thieves and back at the camp."

She holds out her hand and tells him, "Apology accepted." He smiles at her and shakes her hand. He also rubs Jirachi's head. Mystery pets Swablu and Bagon as well. Mystery didn't want to leave Seto alone with no place to go; especially at night. So she asked him to let her stay with him until morning.

"You don't have to stay," he tells her. "If you want to go home, you can. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

She lies and tells him, "Actually, I'm a little tired and it's been a long night. I really don't mind staying with you. Besides, I don't want you to be alone. And tomorrow, I can help you find your family or a new home."

Seto smiles at her and decides to let her have her way. So they find a less damaged house to settle in for the remainder of the night. They step inside and find some blankets to prepare beds for themselves. Seto covers himself up and asks, "Hey, Mystery?" She faces him and asks him if there's a problem. "Why do you want to help me? I mean, I know you're a hero and Millennia's heiress, but you just met me and barely know me."

Mystery lies down and answers, "Because we're friends now and friends never abandon each other." She silences herself for a minute and asks, "Do you want to be friends with me?"

Seto was unsure of what to say. Growing up, he never had many friends to play with. Then again, he never cared much for play. He protected small boys and girls when they were in trouble and got into fights with other children his age. He had a lot to learn about what it meant to be friends with someone and he could learn by first being friends with Mystery. "I do," he finally answers.

She smiles hearing him say that. They both say 'good night' and shut their eyes to sleep.


	8. Coming Together

Coming Together

Dawn finally breaks. Mystery is the first to wake up to the sound of howling. Seto wakes up as well. "Mystery," he says softly, "I've been thinking a lot as I was trying to sleep." He faces her and explains that even if the village would ever be restored, a lot of people wouldn't return. Other than that, he would be alone again. He spent most of his time alone from home and little of it with his mother.

Mystery wanted to help Seto, but she didn't want him to be alone. But she figured she knew how to help him. "I have an idea. Perhaps you could stay at the palace. I know being a servant doesn't sound pleasant, but you'll have a home and you won't be alone. And I live close to the palace, so I can always come over to see you."

Seto felt like Mystery was treating him like a child, but he still appreciated her generosity. Besides, the palace was a new home to children who lost their homes and families to tragedy. But living there came with a price. In exchange for a place to live, schooling, and good food, children had to pledge their loyalty to the royal family and devote themselves to the Egyptian Gods; which meant working on the order of their guardians. Seto knew he would have to work and learn if he was going to stay in the palace. Still, he enjoyed new challenges. He smiles at Mystery and tells her, "You win. We'll go to your house first. After that, we'll head to the palace." Then they both get up and make their way to the city.

At the same time, Joseph was in his house watching Freya sleep in his bed. Luckily, his parents didn't notice him come home with a stranger. They weren't even home. They had both gone to the market to sell some goods and buy some food. Joseph's mother was a weaver and made new carpets every year to sell to the merchants in the market or give to the royal family while his father was a craftsman and built boats and carriages for transporting goods. Joseph had to stay behind to help with the chores such as fetching water, preparing meals, cleaning laundry, and taking care of the monsters.

Freya starts stirring and opens her eyes. She gasps and immediately sits up. "Where am I? What happened?" Her Umbreon happily jumps on her lap, places her paws on her chest, and licks her face. She laughs and says, "Oh, Sakuya, I'm so glad you're all right."

"Mutual feelings for you," Joseph tells her. "I've brought you some breakfast." He lays a bowl of grain down on the floor for Sakuya and gives Freya bowl of bread and milk.

Freya was silent for a minute. "It's you," she whispered. "You're the boy who helped us."

He nods, sits next to her, and introduces himself. "I'm Joseph."

She smiles nervously and tells him, "I'm Freya. And this is Sakuya." Her Umbreon sniffs the grains and starts eating it. Freya takes her breakfast, but before she starts eating, she asks Joseph, "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Why would I be afraid of you?"

Freya was speechless. People often feared and hated her because of her eyes. It wasn't her fault she was born with eyes red as blood, but she also thought they were a curse. But this boy, he wasn't expressing negative feelings towards her at all. Rather he was smiling at her and being a friend to her.

As she explains that to him, Joseph tells her, "You should think of your eyes as a gift. They make you who you are: beautiful and different. And it's all right to be different. Besides, if it wasn't for your eyes, I wouldn't have come to your rescue. Your eyes brought me to you."

Thinking about what he's telling her, Freya feels her heart racing inside her chest and finds herself smiling. She had never been accepted by anyone else because of her differences. Slowly and softly, she told him how grateful she was to him.

Joseph had taken a liking to black-haired girls. He almost fell for Luna before she pushed him in the river. Freya, however, was, just as he said, different. He liked her differences. Feeling his heart race, he slowly places his hand over Freya's. "I'm just as different as you. Let me prove it to you." Then he takes off his hat and reveals the short blonde hair covering his head.

Freya was intrigued. She thought Kisara was the only person in Egypt with hair of an uncommon color. Still, she liked his hair and his strange accent and name. As much as she liked him, she didn't want to trouble him. Besides, she wanted to find Kisara and Kirara. "Well, thank you again for your help, Joseph. Sakuya and I had better be going."

"Wait, you can't go out there alone," he protested. "Why don't you stay with me?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't impose." But a part of her wanted to stay with him. "Would you let me?"

"Absolutely," he immediately told her. "You can stay as long as you need to. And I can be with you so you don't have to be afraid." Joseph didn't just want to be Freya's friend. He wanted to be with her, get to know her. But he couldn't ignore his duties. "Um, listen, I have chores to do now. But you just make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything." Then he takes the dishes to wash them.

Watching him leave and walk out the door, Freya sighs and asks Sakuya, "Such a kind boy, don't you think?" Sakuya barks in agreement. Freya scratches her ears and rubs her back. "I think we could be good friends. I like him and he seems to like me. I wonder…" then she lowers her voice and asks herself, "could he be the one?"

Finally making it to Mystery's house, Seto insists on going to the palace by himself and leaving Mystery to rest. "I'm sure the king will understand if I talk to him. Besides, I'll probably see some of the children from my village telling him the same thing. And thank you again for last night."

"I'll come over this afternoon to check on you," Mystery tells him. "Oh, and I have other friends in the palace who would be happy to meet you."

"Then I'll give them a chance and get to know them." They shake hands, but before Mystery walks inside, Seto tells her, "You saved my life. I'll never forget what you've done."

Mystery faces him and tells him, "If things do not work out well at the palace, then you can always stay with me." Then she quietly walks inside, sneaks into her room, and climbs back in her bed.

Seto was feeling nervous about going to the palace, but at least he had his two monsters with him. He had no trouble getting through the palace gates. He assumed children were coming to the palace before him and he bet some of them were from his village. Hopefully, the royals wouldn't mind his dirty clothes and shabby look.

He came to the throne room, but before he could explain his story, he saw the king talking to Suicune. No doubt the monster was talking to him about what happened last night. Before the conversation ended, his highness took notice of Seto. Suicune saw him as well and recognized him. "My pharaoh, that boy is one of the villagers. He and Mystery were working together to save the land."

King Aknamkanon asks Seto to come forward. "What might your name be, young man?"

"My name is Seto," he answered. One of the royal courtiers, Aknadin, was shocked to hear that name. He faces Seto and wonders if this boy is who he thinks he is. "There was nothing left for me after trying to save what I could from my homeland. I also searched for my mother, but could not find her."

The king continued to interrogate Seto. "What about your father?"

"I have no father. He left me when I was very little and was believed to have been lost in the wars that took place years ago."

"What is your age?"

"I'm thirteen, but I'll be fourteen in mid-autumn. My king, before you ask any more questions, I will let you know I am aware of the conditions I must follow if I am to stay here. I will work my hardest no matter what task I am given and I will learn all I need under the master I am given."

Before King Aknamkanon can say anything, Aknadin speaks up and says, "I permit this boy to stay. He seems to have a sense of determination and I admire that quality. Besides, he has no other living relatives. With your permission, sir, I would like to take this boy as my student."

The pharaoh takes a minute to think. He faces Seto and asks him, "Seto, will you devote yourself to the Gods of Egypt and help us to fulfill the wishes of the Great Goddess Millennia?"

Seto knew how to answer his question. He kneels with his left leg up and promises, "The heiress of Millennia saved my life. Now I can do more for her by helping to fulfill the wishes of the Great Goddess. And if you take me in, I can swear to you the same devotion. I will serve you well."

"That will suffice," said King Aknamkanon. "Welcome to our family."

Standing next to his father, Prince Atem asks, "Father, with your permission, may I give Seto a grand tour of the palace and perhaps help him settle in?"

The kings smiles and decides to grant his request. Atem approaches Seto and asks him to follow him. Seto was intrigued. He had never met another boy who looked so different. He figured this was something he could get used to since his friends were already different.

Walking through the corridors, Atem and Seto decide to get to know each other. "So you're thirteen? I'm eleven, but I'll be twelve when summer starts."

"Oh, only two years younger than me," Seto said. He wanted to joke about the prince's height, but thought twice. Seto was older and taller, but Atem was superior to him.

"Mystery just turned eleven yesterday," Atem told him.

It didn't surprise Seto that Atem would know Mystery. After all, she was Millennia's heiress and the royals were Millennia's followers. But he had to ask, "Are you and Mystery close?"

Atem felt embarrassed about revealing his love to her and feared Seto would also have tender feelings for her. He certainly didn't want to cause jealousy or heartache. So he just asked, "What if I told you she and I were in love?"

Seto smiles and tells him, "I would be happy for the both of you. And that's not because of who you are, but because we're friends and-" he stops himself and asks, "Would you like to be friends with me?"

It surprised the prince to hear Seto ask him that. He wasn't jealous, but asking him to be his friend. No longer in fear, he tells him, "Yes, of course. I would like that very much. I wanted to ask you first, but when you wanted to know how close Mystery and I were, well, I hope I didn't say anything alarming."

"No, not at all," Seto answered sincerely. "But it seems we both have a fondness for white-haired maidens."

"With blue eyes?" added Atem. Seto nods. The boys face each other and smile. They keep quiet for one second and their eyes on each other as if already feeling a strong connection between them.

Atem brought Seto to a room where he could clean himself up. He even brought him a new pair of clothes and shoes. Seto asked Atem to stay with him. He didn't mind the company and still had some things he wanted to share with his new friend. He also wondered what else they might have in common. Seto had never felt so close to anyone else before. That gave him the feeling he would like living in the palace and his new friends.

The dawn was finally over, but the sun was still rising in the sky. Still, it was bright enough to light up the city and wake everybody. Shira stopped at Mystery's doorway and noticed she and Jirachi were still asleep. She figured they had so much fun yesterday and felt really tired. But Shira knew her daughter very well and knew that no matter how tired she seemed, nothing could keep her from a new day. Nonetheless, Shira decided to wake them up. "Mystery," she softly whispers, walking towards the bed. She kneels down and tries again. "Wake up, sleepyhead. The sun has risen and a new day is starting."

Finally responding to her mother's kind words, Mystery opens her eyes and smiles. Jirachi wakes up as well and rubs his eyes. Seeming suddenly energized, Mystery gets out of bed and changes clothes. "Mama, can Jirachi and I go outside today?"

It didn't surprise Shira to hear Mystery ask her that. She also knew that this time, her reasons would be different. It wouldn't just be about helping those in need of her help, but spending time with her friends. "All right, you can go outside. But not for so long again, all right? You need a proper breakfast every once in a while. Remember, if you keep missing your meals, you won't have the strength you need to protect your people." Understanding her words, Mystery promises to come back home for breakfast. Shira kisses Mystery and Jirachi and walks them out of the house. "Be careful on your way," she calls to them.

Mystery waves at her and tells her, "Don't worry, Mama!"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Jirachi echoes and follows Mystery. Together, they race off to the Nile River. Mystery and Jirachi promised Joseph they would meet him there, but Mystery also wanted to go there to clean herself up from last night's fire. Surely her mother noticed how filthy she and Jirachi were and how much they smelled like smoke, so why didn't she say anything or scold them? It couldn't be helped for Mystery to get herself into such situations and Shira knew just as much; which was why she never scolded her.

When they finally made it to the river, they noticed Luna was there sitting all by herself near the water. At the same time, they were looking around for Joseph; hoping he wasn't getting into trouble with her again.

Sensing their presence, Luna turns her head to face them. "What? Surprised to see me? I do get out, you know," she said rudely. That was actually true. Sitting by the river made Luna feel calm, so she was permitted to spend an hour there every morning. A soldier would bring her there, then come back for her when the hour ended. There had not been reports of her causing trouble, so they thought it would be all right to leave her on her own.

"I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to disturb-"

"Didn't mean to what?" Luna interrupted. "Nothing, of course. Not like I care." She faces the water again and starts humming to herself. Mystery moves a little closer and smiles at her. Irritated, Luna asks, "You're still here? Why can't people like you see that I want to be alone?"

"But you didn't ask us to leave you alone," Jirachi debated, trying not to be rude.

"Please don't start anything," begged Mystery. Her parents had always reminded them to keep calm and to keep their tempers no matter how badly the situation seemed to be or how badly they were being treated by someone else.

"If I were you, I'd heed her warning," said Luna. "And mine."

Bur Mystery refused to leave. She didn't like seeing anyone with act so rudely, but she thought she could help Luna by being her friend. "You know, Luna, we never actually officially met."

"I tend to disagree," she argues. "We saw each other at the palace and it's clear we know each other's names. It's nice that you want to start over, but I don't. I actually don't have time for your nonsense anyway. My time here has ended and I've got to go."

"Before you do," Mystery tells her. Luna stops to listen to what she has to say. "I need to ask you, were you here yesterday?"

Luna knew where Mystery was going with this. But there would be no harm in sharing her story about what happened. "Yeah, so what if I was? That kid was bothering me. I told him to leave me alone and he said 'no'. I asked again, nicely, and again, he said 'no'. So I pushed him and he slipped into the water. Not my fault, not my problem," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Joseph cannot swim. And you know-"

"What I did was wrong," Luna finished for her. "Do I know that? Yes. Do I care? No. It's not like anyone can do anything about it anyway; not even the so-called heiress of Millennia. Why do you even waste your time caring about these people when you don't even know anything about them?"

Mystery kept forcing herself to remain calm. She really didn't want to start anything she would regret. But she had to admit Luna was right. She didn't know much about her people. Yet she cared about them because they were children of Millennia just like her and her friends and family. She answered Luna's question by telling her, "Because we are all people of the same country; children of the same Gods. We are all friends and family. If someone you loved, a friend or family member was in trouble, you would do anything to help them, wouldn't you?"

Luna didn't understand Mystery's feelings or actions at all. How could she? She had no real family and no one wanted to be her friend. But it didn't matter to her. Her parents abandoned her and didn't even really want to take her back. That's what Luna always thought. That made her think that her parents killed themselves to drive her mad and suffer. She also didn't understand anything about friendship because she had spent most of her time alone and abused. Not that she couldn't understand, but didn't want to. That was why Luna refused to accept whatever kindness or affection was offered to her. She didn't like being punished severely either, but she didn't want to change her ways. It was like she was trying to make herself stronger.

Luna turns her back on Mystery and finally answers, "I don't have any friends." She could also tell that Mystery wanted to be her friend, so without letting her say anything, she looks back and tells her, "And I don't want any either."

Watching her walk away, Jirachi growls, "What an attitude."

"Give her a little time," Mystery tells him. "I know her decision is final and I should respect it, but I think if we wait, she may open her heart a little." She finally goes in the water to soak and rinse herself off, but watches Luna walk and wonders to herself, _After thinking about all that she had gone through in life, I see that things are so hard for her. But I won't give up. I know I can help her. I also think that underneath it all, she really does want to be friends with me. We just need to get to know each other a little more_. She goes underwater to wash out her hair and face, but instead of holding her breath, she finds herself breathing underwater and seeing everything clearly. Another power from the Millennium Star, no doubt. After washing herself, Mystery gets out of the water and dries herself off as well as she can.

Joseph's voice rings in the air. "Yo-ho, Mystery!" He calls out and waves. He runs towards her with empty buckets. "Surprised to see me? I told you I'd be back and see you again." Then he starts filling them with water. "Why are you all wet?"

"I came to meet you again, and I also came here to wash myself off," she answered. "The fire from last night made me so filthy."

"Fire? You were at a fire last night?" _I see. I guess that explains why I didn't see her last night when Freya and I were in trouble._

"It was another rescue, but I'm afraid it's a long story and I can't explain right now. I promised my mother I would be home in time for breakfast."

"That's all right," said Joseph. "I have to finish my chores anyway also. But why don't we meet here again when we've finished?"

Mystery was happy that she and Joseph would finally be able to spend time together and get to know each other. Then she thought about introducing him to the rest of her friends at the palace. "Actually, Joseph, I was wondering if you would like to come with me to the palace this afternoon and meet my friends."

Joseph had been to the palace many times before with his father, giving some of their goods to the royal family, but he had never actually interacted with anyone there. The thought of going always made him nervous, but the thought of actually meeting new friends starting making him feel excited at the same time. He even wondered how Freya would feel about the idea. "You know what; I'll tell my parents what I plan on doing today. But sure, I'll come with you to the palace." Settling their agreement, they start on their paths home.


	9. The Gang's All Here

The Gang's All Here

Freya waited for Joseph's return. She didn't want to leave him without first saying 'good-bye'. As a matter of fact, she didn't want to leave him at all. Something about Joseph seemed to make her feel safe and happy. But as much as she liked being with him, she had to find Kisara and Kirara. She decided to tell him once he returned home.

Joseph came through the doorway of his house and set his buckets down at the table. "I'm back, Freya," he called, like a husband to his wife. "I hope you've been feeling at home. Sorry I was gone for so long. But guess what?"

Seeing he was in a cheerful mood, Freya thought that perhaps Kisara and Kirara could wait for them a little longer. So she asked, "What is it, Joseph?"

"Well, have you heard of the hero of the desert, Mystery?" Freya had heard stories about Mystery many times before. She even counted the times Kisara had been mistaken for her. Joseph moved on to the next question. "What would you say if I told you I was friends with her?" Thinking about it, she'd be delighted. At the same time, Freya thought Mystery could help her find Kisara. "Well, I met up with her and she asked me if I wanted to go to the palace with her to meet all her friends. I didn't mention you, but I was wondering if you would like to join me."

Freya didn't know what to say. She had never been to the palace before and she didn't want to overwhelm or frighten anybody there. Still, she thought it would be nice to meet new friends. At the same time, she hoped being with Joseph would make her feel comfortable around everybody. So she answered, "I would like that very much."

"All right," said Joseph. He took a piece of papyrus and began writing a note. "I'm leaving my parents a message for when they come home so they know where I'll be." He placed the note on the table next to the water. I just have a few more things to take care of and then we can head to the river."

"I'll help you," insisted Freya, and she followed Joseph outside to gather the laundry. Afterwards, they cleaned up the floors, folded the blankets on the beds, and washed their hands and faces. Finally, they were ready to go. Interesting that Joseph's parents had not yet returned home. They must be very busy selling their creations.

They make it to the river and sit down to soak their feet. Seeing a shadow overhead, they face the sky and see a girl with wings. To their surprise, it was Mystery. Joseph didn't know how or why, but she was flying. Apparently, he didn't yet know Mystery was Millennia's true heiress and had all of her powers. Freya was just as amazed and confused.

"Surprised?" Mystery asked. "Forgive me for not telling you, but I wield the powers of the Millennium Star."

Regaining his calmness, he smiles and says, "Mystery, you are full of surprises." He introduces her to Freya and Sakuya.

"Hello, Mystery," Freya immediately says. "I've heard so much about you and it's great to finally meet you."

Mystery shakes her hand and says, "It's nice to meet you as well." Jirachi gets down to the ground to say 'hello' to Sakuya. He holds out his hand for her to smell. Sakuya sniffs his hand, then rubs her head against Jirachi and purrs affectionately.

After shaking hands and becoming acquainted, the friends decide to head on their way to the palace. On the way, Mystery explains to Freya how she rescued him and Freya tells her own story about how she and Joseph met. Hearing her story, Mystery wondered if what happened with Freya occurred at the time she rescued Kisara and helped Seto. At the same time, Joseph wondered why he hadn't seen Mystery when Freya was in danger. He was about to ask her why that was so until they found themselves standing in front of the palace gates.

Joseph and Freya began to feel nervous in the presence of the guards. Many of them recognized Mystery and granted her permission to enter the palace. When Freya and Joseph told them they were her friends, they were granted permission to enter as well.

The three friends and their monsters decide to wait for everybody else in the palace courtyard. Mana is the first to come outside and notice everybody. She holds her monster, Ralts, in her arms and runs towards Joseph and the girls. "Hey, Mystery, welcome back to the palace. You too, Jirachi. Mahad and the prince will be out soon and are looking forward to seeing you again." She notices Joseph and Freya and asks, "Are these your new friends?"

Mystery smiles and introduces them. "I hope you don't mind having them over."

Mana shakes her head. "It's great having new friends to come over and play." Ralts smiles and waves her arm towards them. "You can play after you've had your bath," Mana told her. The rest of the royal monsters were coming to the courtyard to bathe as well. Kirlia was already taking his bath without waiting for Mahad. "As I was saying, I'm glad to meet you just as I was glad to meet Seto. He told us everything about how he and Mystery met. He's still getting cleaned up and settled in, but I can find him and tell him we're all here."

"That won't be necessary, Mana," said Mahad. "Seto and the prince are already on their way to see us. But while we're waiting for them, let's take this time to get to know our new friends."

Since everyone knew Mystery, she left herself out of the introductions and decided to let everyone get acquainted. She distances herself and walks around the courtyard. Mystery soon finds herself standing in front of the tree she and Atem always tried climbing together. Now that she was older, she could go above the first branch she and Atem would sit on together.

Next to the tree, a bush rustles. Wondering what it is, Mystery moves closer to it. Seeing blue eyes gazing at her from inside the bush, she asks, "Is that you, Seto?"

The eyes just shut. Mystery was confused. She was told that Seto was still in the palace getting cleaned up. Perhaps he was trying to surprise her. Still facing the bush, Mystery fails to see an arm reaching behind her until she feels it pull her hair.

"Oww!" Mystery cries and rubs her head. It didn't hurt badly, but she still eased the pain. She chuckles and says, "All right, Seto, come out and apologize." The person did come out from behind the bush, but tried to grab Mystery. She steps back and the figure finally comes into complete view after falling towards her. Surprised to see who it is, Mystery gets down and says, "Hold on, you're not Seto. You're the girl he and I rescued last night."

She gets to her knees and says, "I'm Kisara. Sorry for not telling you last night after you rescued me and Kirara." Her cat meows apologetically. Kisara also apologizes for pulling Mystery's hair and said she only wanted her attention. As it turned out, Kisara had been following Mystery without trying to be noticed; following her because she was looking for someone and thought Mystery could help her. But she had to make sure this was the right girl, so she asked, "What's your name again?"

"Mystery," she answers.

"Well, Mystery, I was hoping you could help me find Seto. After what happened, I didn't really thank you two properly."

"Seto will be here soon."

No longer feeling so shy, Kisara asks, "Well, while you and I are waiting for him, do you want to play with me, Mystery?" She smiles and nods. Kisara laughs and says, "Not it, you're it!" and starts running with Kirara.

"Maybe," Mystery chuckles, "but not for long!" and starts chasing after them. They laugh and squeal as they run tagging each other back and forth.

Finally, the rest of the friends are gathered together; laughing and talking. Mana sees Mystery chasing after Kisara and tells everybody, "Hey, look! There are _two_ Mysteries!" Everyone looks at them in confusion.

Freya's eyes widen. "Kisara?"

"There _can't_ be two Mysteries," said Mahad. Kisara and Mystery stop running and end up in front of their friends. Looking at Kisara, Mahad tells her apart from Mystery and explains, "See? She's not a Mystery. She's older and taller." Kisara being a few inches taller was one difference between them. Also, Mystery was eleven and Kisara was thirteen. Other than that, Kisara's hair covered most of her face and only went down to her waist while the bangs on Mystery's hair were above her eyes. And although both of them had blue eyes, Kisara's eyes expressed a silence that guarded a dangerous secret while Mystery's eyes expressed a loving innocence that was shielded by a sense of adventure.

Mystery remembers her manners. "Everybody, this is Kisara. And that is her cat Kirara."

Happy to hear Mystery say that, Freya says out loud to Kisara, "It _is_ you! Kisara, you're all right!" Then she walks up to her and hugs her.

Kisara wraps her arms around Freya as well and tells her, "Oh, Freya, I've been searching everywhere for you since we got separated." She notices Seto and tells him, "I was looking for you too. I was worried about you after we parted, so I wanted to find you and make sure you were all right. I soon started following Mystery hoping she would help me find everybody I was looking for, and here you all are."

Freya nods. "Now we're all together, safe and sound, and surrounded by new friends. Just look, all of our monsters like each other." Then they both look and see Kirara rubbing herself against Riolu as he pets her and hugs her while Sakuya licks Ralts.

Seeing everyone getting along, Kisara finds herself feeling comfortable around her new friends. "This is kind of nice; being around others for a change."

Freya agrees and explains to the others, "For as long as I can remember, it's just been me and Kisara, all alone."

Everyone had questions for the girls. Before any of them can ask however, Mahad speaks up first and says, "But living in the city and meeting Mystery makes you Children of Millennia, just like the rest of us. Why are you all alone?"

Even though Kisara was fond of her new friends and found herself opening up to them, there were a lot of personal secrets about herself and Freya that she didn't want to share with everyone right away. She instead smiles and tells Mahad, "Well, let's just say we have our reasons. Anyway, it's nice meeting someone as handsome as you." Mahad blushes hearing that. Mana growls and pouts. Kisara faces Mana and asks, "What's the matter, Mana? Did I say something weird?"

"It's not you, Kisara," Atem tells her. "She gets like this whenever she sees another girl talking to Mahad."

Feeling embarrassed, Kisara apologizes to Mana. "I wasn't trying to provoke anybody. I'm just not used to strangers and have never made friends like the ones I have now."

Mana could sense that Kisara was trying to be nice and did seem sorry, so she smiles and accepts her apology. "I'm sorry too. Is that what you meant when you said you and Freya were alone?"

Mana's thought was almost correct. The girls were always alone because they had often been attacked because of their differences. So they didn't have a lot of friends. Mystery understood how they felt and her heart went out to them. Other than that, they each carried a dark secret and feared them to be too dangerous to share.

"How do you girls even know each other," asked Joseph.

Kisara faces him and tells him, "We're cousins. We've been together ever since we were babies. I'm older and stronger, so I'm responsible for looking after Freya."

It was amazing to hear that the girls were cousins although they didn't exactly look alike. But despite their differences in appearance and nature, the girls had quite a lot in common. But they decided that they shared enough about themselves and wanted to learn about their new friends. That was fair anyway since everyone now knew each other's stories about how they all met each other.

Atem decided to go first by sharing a little bit about himself to his new friends. Besides that he was prince of Egypt and had lessons to attend to for when he would take the throne, he also enjoyed magic and games. Seto was very studious and cunning and thought he could learn a lot by working in the palace and sharing a bit of his own knowledge. He also loved to play games as much as he liked learning about monsters and magic. He even decided he would join the royal academy for magicians just as Mana and Mahad were doing.

When Mystery asked about the magical academy, Mahad decided to explain. The magical academy was a training session for those who possessed some sort of magical talent. Seto had a great intellect, but wanted to challenge himself by enhancing his skill. Knowing that the art of spellcasting isn't something one learns overnight, his mother once said to him he had the blood of royal magicians.

Mana faces Mystery and suggests, "You should attend with us, Mystery. Now that you've got the Millennium Star, the magicians here can teach you how to control your powers."

Mystery takes her time to think. So far, she had only been guessing what kinds of spells the Millennium Star possessed. Other than that, sometimes, when she wanted to perform a spell, she could hear a voice in her head as if the Great Goddess herself was guiding her; teaching her all of her spells and how to use and control them. Still, Mystery figured it wouldn't hurt if she joined her friends in training to become a magician and mastered all of Millennia's spells.

After thinking it through, Mystery makes her decision. "All right, I've made up my mind. I want to join the royal academy for magicians." Everyone cheers for her decision. "But I should probably talk to my parents about the matter first. After that, I may have to talk to the king."

"But, Mystery," Jirachi was saying, "if you join, does that mean you won't be a hero anymore? That you won't get to rescue others or stop criminals?"

She holds him in her arms and tells him, "I think it's better that way. The Council of Legendary Beasts has been doing all of that before me and can continue to do so without me. Besides, the Swords of Justice say my displays set examples for the Egyptian people; that they can help themselves and each other the same way."

Atem nods. "We are all Children of Millennia, as Mahad said. We can't rely on one to protect us all the time. We must depend on each other and work together with the same task."

"That's easier said than done," protested Seto. "But I suppose where there's a will, there's a way. Still, I agree no one can do anything on their own and we all have to help each other bring our ideals to life."

Joseph speaks up and says, "Well then, you can count me in." Everyone looks at him in curiosity. "Look, guys, I know we all just met and are still getting to know each other, and we may not really understand each other's ambitions, but from what I've been hearing, it seems like we already share common dreams. I believe we can help each other by working together and supporting one another. So I'm more than willing to help every one of you."

Everyone smiles and nods at his decision. "Well said, Joseph," Mahad told him. "We're glad to have you join us."

"Hey, consider me moving in the palace first thing tomorrow morning."

Seto rolls his eyes. "Palace life isn't fun and games, you fool. If you want to stay here, you've got to work and be committed to it."

Joseph growls hearing that. "I said I'd be there for my friends and do anything to help them any way I can." He looks away from Seto and adds, "But I agree with you. If I really am one of Millennia's children, then I should devote my life to her and to the royal family."

Mahad found himself admiring Joseph's sense of loyalty. True, he was a meek peasant boy and had a few flaws, but already, he would prove to be a great friend.

Kisara and Freya were taken in by everyone's devotion. They decided they wanted to help as well. "You were there for us when we needed help," said Kisara.

"So now we can be here to help all of you," finished Freya.

Mana nods in agreement. "Yeah, after all, we're Children of Millennia and we belong together. We'll _always_ be here for each other."

"It's decided then," Atem was saying. "Tomorrow, our journey together begins." Then they all start cheering.


	10. Mystery Makes Her Decision

Mystery Makes Her Decision

After spending the entire afternoon getting to know each other, it was time for everyone to return to their places. Kisara and Freya left the palace together and promised to return. They were getting used to being around new people and having new friends. Both Mana and Mahad decided to attend to their lessons in the magical arts for the remainder of the day. Since it was Seto's first day in the palace, he had the rest of the day to himself and wouldn't begin his own training until tomorrow. He was still trying to settle in and familiarize himself with the palace. Atem stood beside him to keep him comfortable and in case he needed anything.

Mystery decided to go home and talk to her parents about what she had discussed with her friends about joining the magical academy. She walks up to her house, but before she enters, she notices two royal horses close to the front door. Wondering what's going on, she calls for her parents.

Mawile and Meowstic come in their place and bring Mystery and Jirachi into the house. She sees her parents talking to two of the pharaoh's courtiers, Aknadin and Shimon. "Master Aknadin, Master Shimon," Mystery says, a little startled, "welcome to our home. It is an honor to have you here."

"To what do we owe the honor," asked Jirachi.

"I believe we both know the answer to that, Jirachi," said Shimon. "We have something we need to discuss with Mystery."

Seeing she has no choice but to take part in the discussion, she enters the family room and sits between her parents. "Is something the matter?"

"We have come on behalf of King Aknamkanon to present to you a sacred treasure of the Great Goddess herself," said Aknadin. He stands up, carries a book, and gives it to Mystery. Seeing that it's old and delicate, Mystery gently opens it and looks through the pages. "This spellbook contains all of the spells and secrets of the Great Goddess Millennia. We meant to give this to you after you received the Millennium Star, but we decided to wait until you were used to Millennia's powers. At the same time, we wanted to prepare you."

Mystery was having a difficult time trying to read the inscription on the pages. The book was written in an ancient writing that could only be read by those in Millennia's family or her followers. Again, she heard Millennia's voice, deciphering the texts on the pages and making them clear for her to understand. The book didn't just contain spells, but also rituals, secrets, and prophecies.

"This book," Mystery was saying, "Can I use it to learn and control my powers?"

"You will learn so much more than that," said Shimon. "Other than that, since you are still only a novice, you will be training for many days and may become a great magician in the next decade."

This was exactly what Mana and Mahad were both telling her. Now that she was in possession of the Millennium Star, she had to learn to control and properly use it. But she also wondered if any other magicians would be learning the same material she would be learning or if she would have to learn on her own with a private instructor. Mystery also wondered if she would be learning the same things as her fellow magicians-in-training. She really didn't want to learn on her own, but her friends had already promised that they would support her. Also, Mystery had already promised she would be committed to learning everything she needed to about Millennia and all of her powers. She finally speaks up and says, "I have something I would like to say: I wish to join the royal academy for magicians."

Shira and Serin were shocked to hear that. "Mystery, are you sure?"

She nods. "I already discussed it with my friends and I already thought it over." After explaining her reasons and all that she had thought about, she faces her parents and tells them, "Mama, Papa, this could be good for me. So far, I have just been guessing and improvising with my powers. If I attend the academy and join the royal magicians, I can come to understand my potential. Besides, the Great Goddess will be here to guide me like she always had since they day we first met."

Tears fill Shira's eyes. "But if you go, we can never see you again." She holds Mystery close to her and starts sobbing. "Mystery, my dear, sweet, little Mystery, please don't leave us. I can't bear being apart from you. It's one thing for you to be gone all day protecting the city you love, but for you to move in the palace?"

Serin sighs and places his hand on his wife's shoulder, "Shira, my love, even we both knew that this day would come." He dries his eyes and faces his daughter, "Mystery, your mother and I love you very much and we want you to be happy with whatever you decide. Just don't lose sight of what's important to you. And don't ever let anybody change who you are."

"Your father's right, Mystery," Aknadin tells her. "This is all based upon your decision alone. We won't force you to do something you don't want to."

Tears fill Mystery's eyes as she thinks about what everyone is telling her. She didn't think that joining the royal academy for magicians meant moving in the palace and leaving everything at home. She had already devoted herself to the Great Goddess, but she didn't want to leave her parents by themselves. She removes herself from Shira and holds her hands. "Mama, you and Papa have raised me well, but it is time I went my own way. But you both promised me that you would always be there to support me and help me come through to the end so I can be happy. I know can never return all that the both of you have done for me, but know that I will always be with you, should you need me. And I will come and visit you whenever I can."

"Mystery, look at me," Shira tells her, placing her hands on her cheeks. "If it gets to be too much for you, or if you decide you've had enough, then you come straight home."

Serin smiles and rubs Mystery's head, "You really are growing up. But you'll always be our little girl. And we'll always be proud of you." They all hug and stop sobbing.

Mystery dries her eyes and faces her masters. "I have made my decision. I wish to join the royal academy for magicians. Also, I am more than willing to work in the palace to-"

Shimon raises his hand to stop her. "Being a student alone will suffice. We have no intention of making you a servant. The people of this kingdom need their hero of the desert. Still, your rescue missions will have to be limited from this day."

"I understand, Master Shimon. And I will be sure to teach the Egyptian people well to learn from my examples so they can help one another in my place just as my teachers have been doing before me."

"I dare not doubt my masters," Serin was saying. "I know you will all take good care of Mystery and Jirachi just as you have taken care of me when I was training under you."

Shira finally smiles. "I have every confidence as well."

Mystery faces her parents and tells them, "Don't worry, everyone at the palace is our friend. We'll all be helping and taking care of each other." She thinks about her parents and asks them, "But then who will take care of you?"

"We'll be fine, dear," Serin tells her. "We know you'll be close by, so we'll have nothing to worry about. And we can come visit you as well."

There would be no sense in convincing Shira and Serin to move into the palace as well since Shira was still a bit of a free spirit and wouldn't be able to keep still inside the palace. Serin would never choose anything over his wife even if it meant returning to the home and family that took him in. "Well then, it seems everyone has made an understanding of the matter," said Aknadin. "Mystery, I suggest you pack your things and get some rest. We will come for you in the morning and get you settled in."

Mystery bows gratefully and wishes her masters well on their return to the palace. Mystery loved and wanted to be with her friends, but she felt the same way towards her parents and couldn't choose one over the other. She knew she could have it both ways. For now, she would spend the remainder of the day with her parents and not let anything keep her from doing so.


	11. Luna and the Prince of Darkness

Luna and the Prince of Darkness

Not all was peaceful for everybody. Luna had been eavesdropping on every story told today by Seto and the others. She heard a village had been burned down and destroyed. For all she knew, it could have been her hometown. That made her even more determined to escape the palace and see for herself. She had never actually reached the village because soldiers would always catch up to her and bring her back to the palace. But that was years ago when she was little. Now she was older, wiser, and more determined.

The crescent moon was high above the city and Luna knew the time was right to leave. She decided not to bring anything along with her. Carrying unnecessary baggage would weigh her down. Taking a royal horse or monster would give away the impression that she had escaped. All she had to do was be careful not to leave a trail.

Luna made it outside the palace walls and was ready to walk through the city. Wearing a black hooded cloak, she snuck past those who were still awake unnoticed. She moved quickly, but silently and carefully. She didn't even feel tired or have a need to stop. As she was heading out to the desert, she knew she had to be careful. Out there, she was unprotected. The wide open desert had no houses and few trees and bushes to conceal her. Other than that, there were no roads or paths. The sand would be too exhausting to cross. But she had to make it to the outskirts before the royals could catch up to her. Surely they would've found out by now that she was missing again.

The desert sand was beginning to take its toll on Luna's legs as her feet were sinking deeper. Other than that, she was feeling thirsty and there was no water in sight. Her tracks were being swept away by the desert wind, but the sand was irritating her eyes. Luckily for her, there was a palm tree. That gave her an idea. Luna approached the tree and started climbing it. Looking from above, she saw that her assumption was right. Soldiers and their Magical Creatures were looking for her. The tree provided little protection, but she refused to go back to the palace. She had to wait for as long as she could and try not to attract unwanted attention.

Monsters were running around in circles, trying to pick up Luna's scent, but kept finding themselves confused as if her trail had stopped and she flew away. The soldiers gathered them around and started back on their path to the outskirts. For all they knew, she had made it to the village already. Luna knew that if she followed them, she would only be getting herself in trouble once again. They would quite literately have her head. No, she had to start a new path. Finally, when everyone was out of sight, she took the southwestern route. It would still lead her to the outskirts, but there was a shortcut that would ensure her safety.

Luna finally made it, but she still had to be careful. Soldiers were still looking for her. Also, the outskirts were a domain to wild beasts, thieves, murderers, and fugitives. Luna had nothing to protect herself. All she had were her battle skills. But she was very cunning and very quick. Every struggle she put herself in, every punishment she endured, all she had put up with did hurt her, but at the same time, made her stronger and smarter.

She found herself on a path. The ground was hard, meaning she was getting closer to Kul Elna. She couldn't wait to see it for herself. The path stopped above a hill. Looking from above, she was in disappointment. Everything she had anticipated was not as she hoped. In fact, it was in ruin. All of the houses had been destroyed. Walking through the streets, she noticed that the village wasn't recently destroyed. Rather the damage looked like it had been done long ago.

"Hello," Luna called out. But her voice was silent and broken. She tried again. "Hello? Is anyone here?" She kept her voice down as she called because she feared some soldiers and their monsters were hiding and about to surprise her. Curiously, she peeked through the doors of every house she passed. They were all empty. Thankfully, there weren't any soldiers hiding. She couldn't even hear them. But at the same time, the silence was eerie and disturbing.

Now Luna finally understood why the soldiers always captured her before she could even reach the village. She also realized why the royals were insistent on keeping her in the palace. Kul Elna had been reduced to ashes and all of its inhabitants were gone. There was nothing left for her. First her parents were killed, now her birth village and people were gone. But she couldn't go back to the palace either. The people there weren't her family and the palace wasn't her home. All that she had fought for was nothing worth fighting for. Luna sat down in the square and started crying. Soon she lied down on the floor and curled up. She was tired and upset; left with nothing but the clothes on her back. Crying to herself, she drifted off to sleep.

Dawn started to break. Luna stirred and groaned. Feeling something wet, she opens her eyes and groans. Seeing a dog licking her face, she immediately sits up and yelps. The dog yelps as well and jumps back. Looking around, Luna finds herself inside an old house that had been cleaned up and restored as much as it could be. There was a table and some chairs, a bed with blankets, and baskets of food.

"I see you're awake," said a voice.

Luna faces the table and sees a young dark-skinned boy with short white hair and lavender eyes. He also had a scar on his right cheek. Looking at him, Luna senses something familiar about him as if she had met him before. She comes back to her senses and asks, "Did you bring me here?"

He doesn't answer. He fills a bowl with warm stew and brings it to her. "You must've gotten lost. Eat this and go back to where you came."

Luna takes the stew. She hadn't eaten anything in so long. Tasting it, she finds it delicious. "This is where I come from. But I see there's nothing left."

The boy shakes his head. "No, there isn't. I believe you, however, about being a villager like me. I've seen you out in the desert several times trying to come here, but the soldiers would always seem to find you and take you back."

Luna was surprised to hear that. "You're a villager? Then maybe you can tell me what happened here and where everybody is."

"There's no one left but us," he answered. "This village had been attacked and destroyed long ago. But you wouldn't know because you never lived here."

Luna was getting suspicious. She sets her empty bowl aside and asks, "All right, what it this? Who are you and how do you know so much about me?"

He finally makes himself known to her and identifies himself as Bakura. He called himself the sole survivor of the village of Kul Elna. After losing his family, he was left with nothing but his five Magical Creatures. He had three dogs named Poochyena, Houndour, and Growlithe, a little back fox named Zorua, and a ghostly creature named Darkrai. "As for how I know all that I do about you, I told you, I've seen you attempt to come here. I've even heard the soldiers mention your name."

Luna still felt like he hadn't been answering any of his questions. "You still haven't told me what happened to this village."

Bakura sighs and tells Luna to follow him. He leads her to a sacred shrine below the village and shows her a large stone tablet. It had a peculiar shape and looked like it something could fit inside it. "Let me explain," he began. "Eight years ago, royal soldiers came and burned down every house, drawing every villager, human and monster, out into the open. Monsters were captured and imprisoned, but all the humans were brought down here. I escaped and saw what was going on. A ritual was being performed and everyone was sacrificed. Men, women, children, it mattered not. They were served to the Great Goddess and their spirits had been harnessed to form a strange power."

Luna stood frozen with fear. The people who raised her attacked her people and destroyed her home. And according to Bakura, this happened eight years ago, which was around the same time her parents had been killed. Could they have been part of the ritual as well? No, she had been told that her parents had been found out in the desert slashed and covered in blood. "What happened next?"

"When the ritual was complete, seven treasures were forged," he answered. "After that, shadows started blanketing the entire area. A border between this world and the Shadow Realm opened. Something tried to cross over into our world, but was sealed away in the stone you see before you." The seven treasures Bakura was talking about were called Millennium Items. Because only the true heiress of Millennia could control the powers of the Star itself, the Items were forged to borrow Millennia's power and bring about peace.

"Unbelievable," Luna whispered. She faces him and asks, "So you've been here all alone for eight years?"

Bakura nods. "I had nowhere else to go and no other living family members. I was left with nothing but the clothes on my back and my Magical Creatures. I've had to fight to survive and keep my emotions from getting in my way."

Luna understood what he was saying. She had also been fighting for her survival and keeping her emotions from getting in her way. Like her, Bakura had lost everything. But he continued to fight to become stronger. He had to steal to feed himself and keep in comfort because he had no one to look after him. But he wasn't completely alone.

"Follow me," said Bakura, "I have something else to show you." He leads her back to his house and takes out a small black case. "Brace yourself," he tells her as he opens the case.

To her amazement, inside was the Cobalt Star. "You… you're the true heir of Cobalt?"

"I am," he says and closes the case. "I'm sure you're curious about why I keep it in this case and not inside my heart, correct?"

Luna was curious. If he was the true heir of the Dark Lord, why hadn't he given himself to him the same way Mystery gave herself to Millennia?

Bakura's story was personal, but he decided to explain. He was three years old when the Cobalt Star came to the outskirts. All the boys of the village lined up orderly to determine who the heir of Cobalt was. When the Cobalt Star came into contact with Bakura, he decided he wasn't ready to accept his powers yet. So he instead decided to keep it safe until that time would come.

When Bakura was five, his personality had completely changed. He gained great pleasure in stealing and often joined his fellow villagers in raiding villages. He even knew how to kill anyone who stood in his way. For a little boy, he could control all of his negative emotions and didn't understand anything about the good ones.

After Bakura lost everything when the ritual had been performed, only the Dark Lord watched him. Bakura was loyal and true to the Dark Lord, but he remained the way he was. Cobalt continued to watch over Bakura from outside his heart and keep him safe.

"The thing is, Luna, I know that the people who took everything from me are Millennia's followers and I do want revenge for all the pain they had caused me, but I don't want to give myself to the Dark Lord if it means fulfilling his wishes alone. I have my own priorities."

"I completely understand," said Luna. "I would do the same if I was in your place."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, because the powers of light and darkness are equal, why fight a war that's just going to go on forever? One you can never win or lose?"

A strange feeling was coming over Bakura. He and Luna had just met and already they understand each other. She really was different from the village girls he knew. He wondered if it was because she had been raised by Millennia's followers. That gave Bakura an idea. Luna may know some things about the Great Goddess that she could teach him. Perhaps he could use her.

"Bakura," said Luna. He faces her to listen to what she has to say. "I can't go back to the palace. The king will have my head. If it's not too much, would it be all right if I stayed with you? I know you're the last of my kind, but I would rather be with my kind than with the enemy." Before he can say anything, she adds, "And you don't need to worry about me. I can protect myself. I also know how to steal without being noticed and-"

"All right," he interrupted. "You've convinced me. You can stay with me. You and I really are all that we have left of our kind. And since there's still so much you're probably curious about, I can teach you what you need to know."

Luna knew how to take care of herself after spending so much time alone. She wouldn't get in Bakura's way if she joined him in stealing or got into any trouble. But as much as she was smart and a fast learner, she was very curious and curiosity leads to trouble. Still, that was nothing new to her. There wasn't a situation she couldn't get out of. She now had her freedom, but she was also a wanted fugitive. Bakura assured her that the royal army wouldn't find her as long as she remained in Kul Elna. The ruins were haunted by the souls of the villagers who were offered to the Great Goddess. Those spirits would protect their surviving children and keep intruders out of their domain.

It was clear that Luna's mind was made up. Once that was done, there was no stopping her. Even though she said she didn't want any friends, she was wrong and she knew it. She even admitted to herself that staying with a friend was better than having to put up with people who didn't understand her, let alone try to. At the same time, she felt like they were trying to change her into something she wasn't and couldn't be. But being with someone who did seem to understand her and she could be herself around seemed like a much better idea. Not that she thought she had any options. Bakura seemed just as satisfied with Luna staying with him. Perhaps she was the one he had been waiting and searching for.


	12. The Story So Far

The Story So Far

It was Mystery's first day attending the royal academy for magicians. Since she was a novice, she was placed in a class for beginners. Thankfully, she wasn't the only beginner. Mana was with her also and so were many other young children. The class taught their students what they needed to do in order to cast a spell. It wasn't just about concentration, but also about the heart; that certain spells react according to emotions. To control magic, the spellcaster must control their emotions. At the same time, they didn't always have to have the exact feeling they wanted in order to cast the spell they wanted. That was where concentration came in.

In the most advanced courses Mahad and Seto were attending, students were in control of their magical powers and would practice in combat. They could also brew potions, conceal traps and treasures, and perform rituals.

All students had their own personal masters and spellbooks, but some training methods were the same. They would work together as classes, be assigned to work with a partner, or have their own individual training. They didn't just train in the palace temples either. There was also a training ground for magicians out in the desert near the mountains.

There was also ordinary schooling for students. There were scrolls to read and look through, lessons on history, agriculture, architecture, mathematics, even tales of the Egyptian Gods. Monsters had their own personal training as well, but would be sent out in the desert to train. After all, with all the many different kinds of powers and abilities they had, they needed space to avoid destruction.

The friends agreed to meet in the courtyard in the afternoon after lunch and talk about their day. Of course, they wouldn't be finished for the day. It would just be a break. But that would be enough time for them to spend together. Mana and Mystery both talked about how they felt about their classes. They were both beginners, but Mystery was already feeling like an expert because she knew how to control her emotions. It couldn't be helped for Mana to have a little trouble. After all, she was much younger and still had to learn how to be patient. That was why she was in the courses she was in; to learn about self-control. But the girls were good friends and didn't want there to be competition or jealousy between them. Other than that, it would take a long time for them to catch up to Mahad and Seto.

Those two boys were much older and more experienced. It didn't matter that Seto was a new student. He was already proving to be an intelligent and skilled young man. He was Mahad's friend, but had a tendency to brag. Mahad didn't like seeing Seto show off like he was better than the rest of his classmates, but he didn't want to start anything regretful either. He knew that Seto would soon learn that certain things weren't always about him and that he needed to consider other people's feelings.

At first, Joseph's parents didn't approve of the idea of him working in the palace. They were hardly at home and didn't have time to spend with him because they were always crafting and selling goods and had to leave him to do the housework. Then again, they figured working at the palace would give Joseph a sense of responsibility and help him learn the importance of helping others. At the same time, it might give him something to strive for. After all, he did talk about wanting to be there for all the new friends he made. So he moved into the palace and started working right away. Watching him work, Seto made a joke of it and sarcastically asked Joseph if he ever worked a day before in his life. It almost turned into an argument, but Joseph kept his temper and to his duties. He attended lessons as well, but was more content with working. But he also wanted to spend time with all of his friends. Just as he said, they all just met and were getting to know each other.

Then there was Kisara and Freya. They became frequent visitors to the palace. All of their friends were living there and they wanted to be with them as well. Being around all of their new friends made them feel happy and at ease. They had spent most of their time alone not just because they were mistreated, but because of their secrets. Freya kept insisting to her cousin that it would be all right to tell their friends, but Kisara still thought it was too soon. That was the same reason they didn't want to live in the palace no matter how much they wanted to be with their friends.

The children came together in the palace courtyard. It was a good first day for all of them and they were happy. There hadn't been any problems with anybody yet, but Mahad and Joseph were having mutual feelings about Seto's negative attitude. They knew he was simply just being himself and having fun, but they weren't amused. Still, they were living together, so they had to get used to each other. They all wanted to be friends also, but that was already proving to be a challenge. No one expected everything to become perfect so soon. They had to take their time getting to know each other. But everyone hoped they would become friends. After all, they were all Children of Millennia.


	13. Enemies then, Friends Now

Enemies Then, Friends Now

Days turned into weeks and new lessons were learned as time passed. Mystery and Joseph both remembered to visit their families. Kisara and Freya had forgotten what it was like to be a part of a family because it had always been the two of them alone. They didn't have parents or homes and often wandered the desert. The closest thing they had to a home and a family was the palace and all of their friends.

When class ended for the magicians, Mahad was sent on a mission to retrieve some ingredients for one of his masters. He was asked to go to the desert and bring back some herbs. He knew where he needed to go, so he went to the courtyard, found his Kirlia, and asked Latios to take him to the desert. Latios obeyed and helped Mahad climb on his back.

Mahad went to the mountain in the north. At the base grew some berries monsters took as medicine to heal poisoning and paralysis. Mahad picked some and put them in a sack. Kirlia retuned and brought him roots and leaves that could awaken sleeping victims by affecting their sinuses. After gathering all the ingredients he was asked to bring, he was ready to go back to the palace. He got up and took a step forward, but the ground below his feet became less steady, causing him to slip and fall.

Kirlia found Mahad on the ground groaning. All the ingredients they gathered had been crushed and now they needed more. That was the least of Kirlia's worries. He wanted to make sure his friend was safe.

Mahad got up and insisted, "I'm all right, Kirlia. I guess I wasn't paying attention. Ah!" He groaned, feeling a pain below. He examined his body and found nothing was broken. However, it hurt to move his legs and he had sprained his wrist. He took the cape from behind him and used it as a cast for his arm. He had to admit he was hurt and couldn't get home by himself. But when he was on a mission for someone, his well-being was the least of his worries. He whistled for Latios' attention. Latios heard his call and flew down to him. "Latios, please go back to the palace and find help. I can't go home until I get everything that my master asked me to find."

Both Latios and Kirlia wanted to debate, but Mahad refused to listen to them. "Please, do as I say." Unable to change his mind, Latios retruns to the palace while Kirlia stays beside him. They had to climb back to where they started. Hopefully, the berries and plants they needed would still be growing from the spot where they fell.

They made it, but they had to remember to be careful because the ground wouldn't hold them. Kiria instead used his psychic powers to gather the berries. Now the only thing left to find were the roots and leaves. But there weren't any in sight. They had to explore the rest of the mountain. The Gorons wouldn't mind their presence, but they had to be careful of the birds of paradise that resided at the summit of the mountain. Not fooled by their name, Mahad knew that these creatures were temperamental and carnivorous. Unfortunately, the herbs they needed grew in their territory.

Both Seto and Joseph heard that Mahad was in trouble and needed help. So Latios led them both to the mountain where he was.

Looking down at the crushed ingredients on the ground, the boys knew they were in the right vicinity. "Mahad has definitely been here," said Seto. "But where could he have gone? And what could have happened to him?"

"We'll know when we find him," said Joseph. "But I have a bad feeling I may know where he's going." Joseph had been coming to these mountains often. He was also a wild child with an adventurous side and the Gorons in the mountains were his friends. He even learned to protect himself from the mountain demons like the birds of paradise and the wolf demon pack. "This is demon territory and plants and herbs that humans and monsters need for medicine grow in these parts. I know because I would come here all the time with my father to gather the stuff Mahad was sent to gather."

Seto had read books about all kinds of monsters back in the palace, but had never seen them up close. Hopefully, his knowledge would give him the experience he needed to help his friends. "Joseph, while I agree we need to help Mahad, we need to plan carefully and not try anything rash. I know I haven't been friendly to you or Mahad the same way you've been towards me, but please trust me. I also know I haven't shown it much, but I care."

Joseph was amazed to hear Seto say that. They both agreed that their friend was in danger and there was no time to argue. "All right. Let's go." Then they follow Mahad's trail.

As they come to the other side of the mountain, they see him under attack by a bird of paradise. Kirlia was doing his best to keep it away, but he was becoming exhausted. Mahad scoops Kirlia up in his arms and they squeeze their way inside a crevice in a wall.

"We have to draw its attention away from Mahad," said Joseph.

Seto calls Latios and tells him to distract the monster. Latios does as told and pushes himself against the bird of paradise. Angry, the monster follows Latios and crashes to the side Seto and Joseph are standing on.

"I see," whispered Joseph. "He's big, but he's not very bright." Then he got an idea. He took Seto's hand and together they took a few steps back.

"Joseph, what are you doing?" Then they both run towards the edge and jump. "Joseph, no!" Then they land on the bird and hold on to it. Confused and agitated, the bird starts thrashing around to get the boys off of its back.

Joseph lets go and lands on the ground. "Keep holding him," he tells Seto. "I'll get Mahad!"

"Hurry," Seto calls. Watching Joseph enter the crevice and pull Mahad out, Seto gets an idea. He looks for a wider opening and calls out for Joseph. "Joseph, I've got an idea! Go to that cavern right there," he says and points to the opening right from them. Joseph nods and calls for Latios to bring him to the opening. Seto covers the bird's eyes, making him fly blind as they move closer to the cavern. Joseph gets out of the way while Seto stays on the bird. There starts to become less space and Seto knows that the bird is likely to get stuck, so he jumps off. The bird of paradise keeps flying and crashes into a wall, making boulders fall and land on it. Seto immediately runs out with Latios' help and they make it back to their friends before they get trapped in the cave-in.

Happy to see that his friends are all right, Mahad moves closer to them to thank him. Before he can, however, Seto raises his hand and slaps him. "Are you out of your mind?" Seto asked. "You had us worried. What if you'd been killed?"

"I'm sorry, but I had to come here and get the remedies my master requested." Then Kirlia takes the small sack and shows him the plants and berries.

"In demon territory?" asked Joseph. "What were you thinking coming here alone? Mahad, you're better than that."

He did know better, but sometimes, it was something he couldn't help. Mahad had a strong sense of responsibility and would put himself in danger not for his pride, but for those he was trying to help.

Joseph sighs and pats Mahad on the back, "Mahad, you're a reliable companion and we appreciate that. I know; I've seen it during all the times we spent together. But everything doesn't revolve around you."

"Joseph's right. You don't have to be responsible for everybody's safety or well-being or anything else," said Seto.

"I know it's not always about me," said Mahad, "But I can't always help it. I do the things I do because I care; I care about you two, Mana, Mystery, Kisara, Freya, and the prince. I know I can't be responsible for everyone, but I do it because you're all my friends and I care about all of you."

Listening to his reasons, Seto and Joseph find their feelings for Mahad changing. They also knew they would to the same for him for the exact same reason. "I understand," Joseph tells him. "And that's why we came to rescue you."

"Well, thank you both," Mahad said gratefully.

Joseph smiles and says, "We're friends. We'll always be there for each other." Seeing that he's still unsteady and a little hurt, Joseph places Mahad's arm over his shoulder to carry him. He faces Seto and tells him, "Seto, you were brilliant. The way you fought off that bird of paradise was so brave and amazing of you."

Seto couldn't find himself wanting to be proud in front of his friends; not after what they had been through. Instead, he smiles and returns the compliment to Joseph. They really displayed team effort against that monster. Before they walk, Seto tells Joseph, "You know, I've really misunderstood you. You have quite a way of thinking and your plan of agitating that monster worked out brilliantly. We made a good team and I think we could do this often." Then he lifts his fist and asks, "Don't you?"

Joseph faces Seto's fist, the smiles at him and gently pounds his own fist against Seto's. "You bet. Friends to the end. I'll always be there for you." Then he raises his fist to Mahad and asks him, "What do you say, Mahad?"

He smiles and does the same thing. "I would not have it any other way." Then he and Seto smile at each other and pound their fists together. "I am truly glad we are friends." Then they get off the mountain and return to the palace with the help of the Swords of Justice.


	14. Time to Heal

Time to Heal

Injured from yesterday's adventure, Mahad, Seto, and Joseph were given the day to recover. Their story about what happened really amazed their friends. The pharaoh wasn't pleased to hear about what happened to his young subjects, but he was happy to have them home safely. At the same time, he was satisfied to hear about their loyalty and teamwork and that they were finally getting along.

Mahad's wrist still hurt, but he could move his arm around. It just hurt to carry things. He was still feeling upset about what happened yesterday, however. He felt he was responsible alone and his friends didn't deserve to be in the same trouble he was in. But they risked their lives to help him. Joseph, a kind and loyal companion who would do anything for those he cared about. And Seto, putting his heart before his head and thinking about others for a change. Even they felt good about what happened. Better than that, they had finally gotten to know each other better and were getting along.

Mahad sat near one of the courtyard trees and began reading a spellbook. He didn't have lessons to attend to, so he decided to read for fun the same way Seto always did. This morning, he told Mana he wouldn't be able to play with her today because of his wrist, so asked her to settle down. Mana wasn't happy to hear that, but she still left and hoped for him to feel better soon. She actually found something better to do. When Kisara and Freya came over to visit, Kirara gave Mana a ride on her back.

Jirachi saw Mahad sitting by himself. He wanted to do something to make him feel better, so he went to Mystery's room to find his treasure. He teleported to the courtyard, placed the stone behind his back, and approached Mahad. He clears his throat and tells him, "I brought you a present to help cheer you up." Then he takes the Dawn Stone and places it in Mahad's lap.

Mahad closes the book and looks at the stone. "Thank you, Jirachi," he said gratefully. The magic of the Dawn Stone would make Kirlia evolve into Gallade. But this was a gift from Jirachi, and he wanted to treasure it.

"If you want to, you can use it to evolve Kirlia into Gallade, but that's up to you," Jirachi told him. "The stone is yours and you can use it however you wish."

Mahad rubs Jirachi's head and thanks him once again. "This is kind of you, little friend. I truly appreciate it."

Jirachi laughs and decides to play with Kirara, Mana, and Sakuya. Freya and Kisara come towards him and decide to sit down with Mahad and talk to him. "We heard about what happened to your wrist," Kisara told him. "Are you all right?"

"I am," he answered. "A healing spell was used to ease the pain, but I still have to wear this around it. Until then, I won't be able to attend most of my lessons."

It pained the girls to hear him say that. But at least they could spend this time talking to Mahad. They always had been able to whenever they had time for each other. Besides, the cousins had spent a lot of time with Seto and Joseph. Speaking of which, Freya asked, "Are you, Seto, and Joseph all getting along? It didn't seem that way when you all met."

"We were getting to know each other," he told her. "But we seem to understand each other better now."

"That's good to know," said Kisara. Every time she and her cousin visited, she would see Seto have petty arguments with Joseph and Mahad would put himself between them to stop them. He even felt responsible for setting things right between them and correcting their mistakes.

"Kisara, Freya," Mahad was asking, "are you girls happy here?"

They sincerely answer that they are. It's the happiest they felt in a long time. And they were glad to be friends with Mana, Mahad, Mystery, the prince, and the others. The girls would often play games with Mana and talk about their problems with Mystery and Atem.

Kisara sighs and tells Mahad, "You know, ever since I can remember, Freya and I had often been avoided or attacked because we were so…"

"Different?" asked Mahad.

She nods. "But you and the rest of our friends are the first to ever accept us for who we are, the way we are. We never got that kind of treatment from anyone else before. Now we feel like we actually belong somewhere, with someone."

Mahad places him hand over Kisara and tells her, "In the palace, we have no tolerance of hatred towards people for being different in color, race, or appearance. We are all Egyptian people. And I told you already, you girls are Children of Millennia, like us. That makes you girls our sisters."

Both Freya and Kisara appreciated being told that. It made them feel like they finally had a real family. Freya faces Mahad and asks him, "Mahad, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course," he tells her. "Is something wrong?" Kisara faces her and shakes her head, but she decides to ask anyway. "If you knew something dangerous about me and Kisara, would you still think of us as your friends?"

"What do you mean dangerous?"

She sighs and explains, "Kisara and I each hold a great power within our souls. They're dangerous and we can't always control them. But our powers are only released when we feel scared or threatened."

"What kinds of powers?"

"No, stop," Kisara suddenly says. "We've said too much."

"Kisara, wait," Freya tells her. She places her hand over her cousin's and tells her, "He's our friend. It's all right to tell him the truth."

Kisara keeps silent for a moment. But before she can speak, Mahad smiles and tells her, "No, it's all right." He turns his attention to Freya and says, "Thank you, Freya, but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Freya sighed in understanding and turned to face her cousin. Kisara knew Freya was right and they would have to tell their friends the truth about themselves sooner or later. But they didn't want to do anything to destroy their friendship or hurt any of their friends.

Kisara smiles and thanks Mahad. "Sorry for interrupting like that. I guess I'm just not ready to share everything about myself like that."

"That's all right," Mahad said, understanding. "I would feel the same way if I was in your place."

"But, Mahad," Kisara was saying, "You're so confident, understanding, reliable, and mature."

He appreciated the complements he was given, but he admitted he had flaws. "Thank you, but really, I can be a coward and lose my nerve. I listen well, but sometimes fail to understand, but when I do understand, it's because I care."

"We care also," said Freya. "Every night, I pray for everyone's safety and well-being. I also pray for the Great Goddess to watch over all of us. I also stay with everyone to remind them never to give up." That was true. Freya was very faithful and loyal. Hope was like a personal strength to her. When it always used to be her and Kisara, Freya would pray for her cousin to never give up hope because her protection and guidance gave her strength. Believing in Kisara gave her the strength to go on when she was weak.

Mahad smiled. "I like that about you, Freya. Your heart is full of hope. As for you, Kisara," she faces him and gives him her attention. "You're always so cautious. It's a good sign that shows how much you care. You know, when I first met you, I saw a small spark inside a shy young girl. Look at you now; surrounded by friends and feeling comfortable around them. It's like the light of your soul has gotten stronger and brighter."

Kisara's eyes widen. "The light of my soul?" He said that as if he knew her secret all along and was talking about it. Then it occurred to her. Her power inside her, it didn't just appear when she felt threatened or scared, but whenever she needed to protect her loved ones. The light inside of her was for everybody. Then she asks, "Mahad, what do you do when you feel upset or scared?"

He thought for a moment. Then he took his flute and held it in his hand. "I play music on my flute. Would you girls like to listen?" They nod and quiet down. He places the flute in both hands, takes a deep breath, and places his fingertips over the holes to catch the right tune as he plays. The serene sound of the flute had always made Mahad feel tranquil and at peace.

Hearing the sound of the flute, Seto and Joseph approach Mahad and the girls. He stops to listen what they have to say. "Mahad, I didn't know you could play," said Joseph. "That's a lovely sound."

Seto smiles and says, "You know, if you wore a crown of flowers on your head, you would look like one of the forest fairies that play music." He and Joseph both laugh at the joke he made.

Mahad wasn't offended by the joke. He knew he was being made fun of, but he didn't care. He instead just smiled and laughed with the boys because they were having fun.

Seto stops laughing and wipes his eyes. "But seriously, you play beautifully. I like music and play also. I have a guitar in my room. I could bring it down and play with you."

"And I've got a drum," added Joseph. "If you want, I could play music with you too."

Hearing her friends talk about music, Mana joins in and says, "I want to make music too. I've got a harp and can play really good."

"All right, all right," Mahad chuckles. "Everyone go get your instruments." Mana, Seto, and Joseph run inside the palace and hurry to get them. When they all come back, they start playing together and Kisara and Freya start dancing to the music. Listening to what's going on, Mystery and Atem join in. Everyone was having so much fun and didn't want to stop. They played different tunes and sang many different songs. Even the monsters started prancing around. It was as if all the bad feelings inside of them were fading away and their spirits were filled with joy and fun.


	15. Six Hearts, Three Stories, One Bond

Six Hearts, Three Stories, One Bond

After all that had been going on these past few days, it seemed like everyone was getting closer and closer together. Mana and Mystery were practically like sisters because they were helping each other with their studies and could talk about anything. Seto and Mahad were helping each other with their studies as well and Joseph and Atem would have battles together with their monster friends.

Of course, they would always take turns spending time with a certain individual. Mana and Joseph loved playing games together and Mahad and Mystery would practice in magical combat. As for Seto, he found Prince Atem to be the closest friend he ever had. It was as if the prince knew things about Seto that the others didn't and vice-versa.

The two were spending time together in the palace courtyard talking to each other. Seto was looking over some scrolls his master gave him and asked Atem to keep him company.

"You've been working hard," Atem told him.

"I don't mind," Seto admitted. "I always like new challenges."

Atem smiles and asks, "What is your dream, Seto?"

He keeps quiet for a moment. He made it clear that his goal was to become one of Millennia's finest followers. After all, he made a vow to one day repay Mystery for saving his life and what better way to do so than by serving the Great Goddess? Other than that, they royal family took him in and gave him a home. Seto finally speaks and says, "My dream, Prince, is for the happiness of you and the rest of our friends. I want to be with you all the way."

"Thank you, Seto," Atem says and sits beside him.

Seto sighs and asks him, "My prince, you know I care a lot about you, right?"

"Of course I do. And I feel the same way towards you."

"I _mean_ it. For all that you and your family have done for me; I vowed to forever be in your debt. Mystery has done a lot for me as well, and I want to repay her just as much. I work hard for the both of you because it gives me something to strive for. Just think, one day, you'll become pharaoh, Mystery is your bride-to-be, and I want to stand by you all the way."

"Seto-,"

"Please understand, my prince. I know you don't want me to push myself and think I should just do my best and give what I can, but that wouldn't be enough." Tears start filling his eyes. "Ever since you and I met, you've been the closest friend I ever had; you've been like a brother to me."

Atem could see that Seto truly was devoted to him and would do anything to help him. He places his hand on Seto's shoulder and smiles at him. "Thank you, Seto. I'll always be with you as well. And we will always be your family."

Seto dries his eyes and tells Atem how grateful he is. "Yes, this is where I belong; with you and the rest of our friends." Then he looks away and sighs. When Atem asks him what's wrong, he faces him and apologizes. "I'm all right. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Are you sure? If there is anything I can do for you-,"

"You've given me everything I needed," he interrupted. "Friends, family, and a home. I'm happy and grateful. Truly, I am." He sighs again, lies down on his back, and faces the sky. "But then, I think about my mother. I know I lost her on the night my village was destroyed, but I can't help but wonder if she survived and is somewhere out there, wondering where I am and when I'm coming home; if I'm ever coming home."

Atem lies down beside Seto and says, "I suppose it's natural for a mother to worry about her children."

"Yeah," Seto sighs. "But this is my home now. I can't worry about the past and think about trying to change things that can't be changed."

Atem sits up and smiles at Seto. "Your mind gets the better of you sometimes, do you know that?" Seto sits up and asks him what he means. Atem explains, "I admire your thinking, Seto, I really do, but I think your wisdom comes from the heart rather than your head. You put others before yourself because it's the right thing to do and it shows how much you care."

Seto chuckles. Books and cleverness were one thing, but thinking with his heart was another. He found he had no choice but to agree with Atem. He gets his wisdom by considering his loved ones. Atem moves closer to Seto and places his arm over his shoulder. Seto smiles and does the same thing. They both sigh and watch the birds in the sky.

Mana and Mystery look at them as they enjoy a snack. "They really do look like brothers when they do that," said Mana.

Mystery nods in agreement. "Well, Seto did say the prince was his closest friend."

Mana takes a bite from her plum and says, "You know, I started to dislike Seto because of his attitude towards everyone else, but after getting to know him better, that kind of reversed on itself. Now I really like him." Then she giggles and softly tightens her eyes. "Seto can be such a softie sometimes."

"I know," said Mystery. "There are times when he uses his head more than his heart, but they are always in the right place at the right time."

Mana faces Mystery and tells her, "You may be even wiser than Seto. Know why I think so?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you've got a big heart, Mystery. And that's a fact." Mana moves closer to Mystery and smiles at her. "You're always thinking about everyone else and making sure that they're safe and happy. You know how to put them before yourself. Why else would you be deserving of the Millennium Star?"

Mystery sighs and tells Mana, "Thank you for saying that, Mana. I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too," Mana says and hugs Mystery.

She hugs her as well and wonders_, Mana's right. I do have a big heart and I care too much. Sometimes that's a good thing, but other times, it's a weakness because I am always soft on everybody even when they're hard on me. But I guess it can't be helped_. "I love you, Mana."

"I love you too, Mystery," she says and gives her a kiss. Then they both get up and start playing together.

Kisara and Freya were out in the desert making preparations before going to meet up with their friends at the palace courtyard. They didn't even bother having lunch. Rather, they decided they would eat once they got together with their friends.

Freya notices Kisara sitting near the river and facing the water. "Is anything the matter?" she asks as she approaches her.

Without facing her cousin, she answers, "I just have a lot on my mind." It was true. Kisara had been thinking a lot about what Freya had told her; about it being all right to tell all of their friends about their secrets. They had been friends for a month now and Kisara was still feeling insecure; wondering if it would destroy their friendship.

Kisara explains that to Freya and tells her, "I know we're friends now, but that's all the more reason to be quiet. I'm afraid I might hurt them."

Hearing her say that made something come into Freya's mind. "I've been thinking, Kisara, that maybe something like that won't happen. I know the White and Black Dragons are dangerous and make anybody who tries to harm us disappear, but I think the Dragons haven't gotten out of control because we've been feeling safe and happy with our friends."

Thinking about what her cousin is saying, Kisara can't help but agree. They did mention that their powers are revealed when they feel threatened or scared. And there haven't been any accidents since they made so many new friends. She mentions that, but before she starts to feel at ease, Kisara asks Freya, "But do you ever wonder if they already know?"

"What do you mean?" asked Freya. "We didn't tell anybody anything completely."

"I know, it's just, I've been thinking about what Mahad said a few days ago; about the light in my soul. I was worried he was talking about my power."

Freya saw that Kisara was right to have that kind of feeling. To make her feel assured, she smiles and tells her, "I don't think that's what he meant. You know how they say Millennia's light shines inside all of us? Maybe that's it." She picks up Sakuya and tells her, "Either way, I agree. I mean, I've known you my whole life and I can think of a lot of things relevant to that statement."

Kisara realized that there were a lot of things relevant to that statement and that it didn't just mean her power. Everyone had light within themselves, but Kisara found her light to be strong because she was always there for the people she loved. "That's it, isn't it?" she asks herself. "Freya, do you remember what I once said? That my light was meant to protect you? I think I've figured it out." It finally made sense to Kisara why there hadn't been any accidents with her friends. The power of the White Dragon appeared to protect Kisara and the people she loved. It didn't attack her friends either for that same reason.

Freya smiles at her cousin once again for figuring everything out. "I think it's the same for me as well. I tell you I get all my strength from you being there for me. And whenever I pray and remember you're here with me, my Black Dragon protects us both." She interrupts herself and mentions, "That's why my Dragon protected Joseph when he rescued me; because I hoped he would be all right."

After all that the cousins were thinking about and discussing, they finally agreed that they would share their secrets with their friends and accept whatever would come to them; whether they be threats or understanding. As they climb on Kirara's back, Kisara thanks her cousin for being so supportive. She always thought that she should be the supporting one because she was older and responsible for her little cousin's well-being and happiness.

As Kirara lifts herself and her friends from the ground, Freya asks Kisara, "Can I share something that's been on my mind for a while?"

Kisara nods. "What is it, Freya?"

She sighs and explains, "It's Joseph. I dream about him every night, think about him when we're apart, and can't help but want to be with him. Is that unusual of me?"

Kisara shakes her head. She had the same feelings towards Seto and felt just as embarrassed to talk about it. "Besides, you two spend a lot of time together, so it's natural of you to have feelings for him." She keeps quiet for a moment and asks, "Is it also because he was there for you the night you and I got separated?"

"No," Freya answered. "It's actually because of that morning." She had explained to Kisara about how Joseph and Freya became acquainted and how he had accepted her for who she was. Kisara was touched by her cousin's story and found that to be the best reason why Freya would have feelings for someone who was so kind, loyal, and even funny. Again, Kisara felt the same way about Seto when they started getting to know each other and found herself developing feelings for someone who was stubborn and serious, yet soft and intelligent.

After thinking about it all, Kisara finally faces her cousin and tells her, "I think Joseph may even be the one for you." It was reasonable for her to say that. Freya had been deceived and taken advantage of because of her appearance and nature by plenty of young boys who pretended to care about her. Joseph, however, was already proving to be very different from all of those boys.

"I hope he is," Freya mumbles to herself.

Kisara places her hand on Freya's cheek and tells her, "Don't have second thoughts, Freya, have courage. Tell him how you really feel about him. Remember, hope is a personal strength for you. If you give it up, you'll find yourself in misery."

She smiles and places her hand over her cousin's. "Thank you, Kisara. I needed that."

"And remember, I want you to be happy with the one you love." _Because if he can't make you happy or accept you for who you are, then he's not the one_. But Kisara knew that would never be so. She knew Joseph would be able to live up to her expectations and be the one for Freya.

As if she could read her mind, Freya had the same wishes for Kisara about Seto. But for them to truly be accepted for who they were, the girls would have to reveal to their friends their secrets about the White and Black Dragons.


	16. Children of Millennia

Children of Millennia

Finally, all of the friends were present in the palace courtyard. Now wasn't the time to talk and play, however. Atem had received word from his father that everyone's presence was requested in the throne room. The thought of presenting themselves to the king made everyone feel nervous, but it wasn't an option for any of them to refuse. All of the children walk inside the palace and line up in an orderly manner. Kisara and Freya hold hands and stand between Seto and Joseph while Atem and Mystery stand next to Mana and Mahad.

King Aknamkanon rises from his chair and speaks to the children. "Many of you are doubtlessly wondering why I have summoned you here. It has been a month since all of you met and I have been carefully observing each and every one of you. I have noticed that many of you have had difficulties adjusting to the customs here. But it has come to my attention that you have all been helping each other and learning through one another just as friends should."

"It is an honor to hear you say that, my king," said Seto.

The pharaoh continues on and says, "And it delights me to see how much you have all gained from one another helping each other to learn and grow. Despite your challenges, you have all demonstrated optimism, loyalty, kindness, honesty, and generosity towards one another. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to bequeath each of you with a special gift."

They six royal courtiers each carry a golden chain with an amulet of a different color bearing a different symbol. They give the amulets to Seto, Joseph, Mahad, Mana, Kisara, and Freya while King Aknamkanon gives Atem and Mystery their amulets and explains, "I understand that you all like to call yourselves Children of Millennia; which is true. Each of you holds a precious gift from the Great Goddess herself. You may consider it a personal strength, but remember that it is called a gift because it is meant to be shared and not to be kept to yourselves." As the children look down at the amulets hanging from their necks, the pharaoh explains, "There is power within the amulets you now wield. Only by tapping into your strength can you tap into the powers of your amulets."

When the children were finally dismissed, they returned to the palace courtyard. Kisara and Freya wanted to talk to everyone about what they had discussed, but like everyone else, they were admiring their amulets. Kisara's was light blue and bore the symbol of light while her cousin's was orange and bore the symbol of hope. Mahad's amulet was purple and bore the symbol of reliability while Mana's amulet was pink and bore the symbol of joy. Seto's amulet was red and bore the symbol of wisdom, Atem's amulet was dark blue and bore the symbol of courage, Mystery's white amulet bore the symbol of love, and Joseph's yellow amulet bore the symbol of friendship.

"Beautiful," said Mana. "And each one has its own meaning."

"A personal strength and a gift from the Great Goddess Millennia," Atem softly repeated.

"It's like these were made especially for us," said Joseph. "But how could any of them know which one belongs to which person? Not that I'm complaining about anything. Hey, I actually like the color of my amulet."

"It was no accident," Kisara softly whispered, "or coincidence."

Atem heard her and said, "I agree, Kisara. I believe that this is destiny." As everyone asks him what he means, he explains, "Everyone, I don't believe all of us meeting happened by coincidence. I believe we were all brought together by the Great Goddess herself. Each of us has a personal gift from Millennia that makes us strong and we all have an important role in helping each other."

"And these amulets promote our own individual gift?" asked Seto.

Mana faces Mahad and asks him, "Am I important, Mahad?"

He smiles at her and says, "Of course you are, Mana. You have a gift of bringing laughter and joy to your friends when they need something to smile about."

She looks down at her amulet and smiles. She suddenly faces him and debates, "But Joseph does the same thing. He makes everybody laugh too."

Joseph clears his throat and explains, "Mana, it's true that I can be funny, but my way of making people laugh is by giving something to laugh about even if it's just silly or ridiculous. Your method is to simply spread cheer to those who need something to smile about, just as Mahad said."

"I still don't understand," Mana groaned, seeing that this was giving her a headache. Even Joseph was having a hard time explaining, but he promised her she would understand someday.

"That's it, isn't it?" asked Kisara. "Millennia brought all of us together to learn from one another and help each other become stronger; to learn and grow."

Seto faces Kisara and tells her, "I think you have a point there, Kisara." He lifts his head, smiles, and explains to everybody, "Before I met any of you, friendship was something I didn't understand, let alone care much about. Probably because I spent most of my time growing up alone. But getting to know all of you and spending time with you has helped me to understand. Now I find great pleasure in having fun as well as learning new things. Being with you has taught me to lighten up, have fun, and be a little less serious." He faces Joseph and tells him, "Especially you, Joseph."

He faces him and asks, "Me?"

"Of course. At first, I thought you were just a clumsy, carefree country boy. But you know how to have fun and you taught me how to do so. I also learned from you that sometimes it's better to act before thinking when someone else's safety and well-being are on the line."

Atem smiles in agreement and adds, "Joseph, you seem to understand friendship better than the rest of us because you demonstrate loyalty and have never abandoned any of us. And although you sometimes stubbornly refuse to let others have their way, it's not a selfish act. You do it because you care and want to help; you want to be a friend."

Joseph smiles and looks down at his amulet. "I guess that's why I hold the amulet of friendship. But I also seem to have yet to tap into its power."

Mahad chuckles and tells him, "You have already proven that friendship is more than just a word and that it is very much real without holding that amulet. Besides, the power isn't in the amulet; it's within the person holding it."

Mana faces Mahad and asks him, "So in order to understand the magic of the amulet, we have to understand the magic inside of us?"

"If they're our personal strengths," Freya was saying, "and we understand them better, then we can easily tap into our powers."

"Our personal strengths," repeated Seto, "are also gifts that we must share with one another. That's where the true power lies. I gain knowledge, but share it." He faces Atem and tells him, "My prince, I've been thinking about what you said; about thinking with my heart and with my mind. When I think with my mind, I become intellectual and my reasons are based upon logic. But when I think with my heart, I'm considering other people's thoughts and feelings in order to decide what's moral." Then his amulet starts glowing. "Wha- what's this?"

Everyone else is amazed to see the bright red glow of the amulet. "Of course," exclaimed Atem. "Seto, the theme of your amulet is to promote wisdom. You've tapped into its powers by considering someone else's opinion and broadening your own thoughts."

Seto places the amulet in his hands and the light fades. He smiles with amazement and tries not to brag. He sighs and says, "I suppose it is my personal strength, but sometimes, I have to remind myself that even a gift can have certain flaws. If I'm going to share my strength with all of you guys, I have to be careful."

"And you will," said Freya, "I believe in you." Then her amulet starts glowing as well. "My amulet. I tapped into its powers by putting faith in my friend." Then she starts laughing cheerfully. "It's true; each amulet was made especially for us by the Great Goddess herself."

Kisara was happy to see her cousin look so cheerful about her personal trait, but she started having concerns about her own. Already, the king has put his trust in her and she would hate for her light to do more harm than good. She knew she would have to gather her courage and share her gift responsibly.

She wasn't the only one having doubts. Even Atem looked discouraged when he put his eyes on his own amulet. "Courage," he silently told himself.

"Don't doubt yourself, my prince," Freya told him. "You've already been a great leader to us by helping us to become friends and that's something we all value."

Joseph agreed. "She's right. We all met because of Mystery, but you helped us to become friends. You and Mystery keep us together. Without either of you, I don't think a lot of us would be here."

Seto smiles and places his hand on Atem's shoulder. "That's why we can't- won't ever let anything happen to you. Without your leadership and bravery, we would be lost. I meant what I said about not being who I am if I never made so many incredible friends like the ones I have now."

Atem still wasn't too sure. He had demonstrated leadership, but had not yet demonstrated courage.

Mystery sits close to him. "Remember, we are all here to help one another."

Joseph speaks up and says, "I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but we're not really going to learn much if we just sit around talking. We should go on a journey; face challenges outside the palace. That will truly train us."

"We can't," said Mahad. "We do not have the freedom of peasant folk. We are only permitted to leave the palace to train or gather essentials. As for Mystery, her rescue adventures are limited and she has to return immediately after her task is complete."

Seto was unsure of which side to support. His sense of devotion wanted to agree with Mahad, but his rebellious and serious side seemed to agree with Joseph. "I guess the only way we'll know for sure is if we consult with the king and share with him all that we had discussed."

"I'll do it," Atem immediately said. "I should be the one to reason with him."

Mystery stands up and tells him, "I'll go with you." Mahad and Seto agree to accompany him as well, leaving Joseph and the rest of the girls waiting in the courtyard.


	17. Keep Calm and Shine on

Keep Calm and Shine on

It was just as the children expected; the king did not approve of the idea of his own son and young subjects leaving the palace and having adventures. Not because they were royalty, but because they were all children. Remembering that Mystery had gone on several adventures and doing all that she and her friends were asking for now wasn't enough to convince him either. Even if the adventures would prove to be educational, the king would not risk endangering the lives of his children.

Mystery couldn't help but feel devastated that she wouldn't be able to share all that she had experienced with her friends, but she had to be respectful towards the king's decision. She also knew that assuring his majesty that her friends being with the heiress of Millennia and once hero of the desert wouldn't change his mind either.

It actually was giving him some thought. "Mystery, my dear, will you do well to educate my son as well as the rest of your friends and give them your strength?"

"I give you my word," she promised. "I will also do well to protect them."

"As will I," said Mahad. "I'll even take full responsibility for everyone's health and safety."

King Aknamkanon had seen Mahad demonstrate great responsibility for the people he cared about many times before. There was no questioning his devotion. He also knew his friends would return his efforts in the same way. After thinking about the promises he was being told, the king found himself agreeing that leaving the palace would be good for the children. Other than that, he knew that they weren't ordinary children, but Children of Millennia. That was enough to convince King Aknamkanon that the Great Goddess would watch over and protect every one of them. "Very well," said the king. "I will grant you your request. If taking journeys outside the palace will train you to understand yourselves as well as each other, then go forth. I have every confidence in every one of you Children of Millennia."

They can't help but cheer gratefully. Still, they control themselves and pay proper respect. After doing so, the children head for different corridors of the palace to stock up on essentials such as food and medical supplies. Seto and Mahad each gather remedies for themselves and their monster guardians while Mystery and Atem sneak into the kitchen and gather food.

It made the rest of their friends happy to hear that they were granted permission to go on a journey, but they all had different ideas about where they wanted to go. The cousins wanted to take their friends to a small village populated by monsters in a hidden area and Joseph wanted to meet the Gorons in the mountain and dig for stones. Mahad and Seto both immediately refused after the last time they went to the mountain. Mana wanted to see the hidden village, so she asked the others if they could go. Atem and Mystery were just as curious about the hidden village, so they said 'yes'. The decision was unanimous, so they asked Kisara and Freya to lead the way. The girls climbed on Kirara's back, Mahad and Mana rode on the dragon twins, Mystery unfolded her wings and took flight, and the rest of the friends rode on the backs of the noble dogs.

Kisara and Freya led the group to the river and followed its path. Heading south, they saw that the land was becoming more green and lush. Finally, they stopped below a hill. Just a few feet away was a small opening. "There's a secret passage here," Kisara explained. "People often mistaken this for a den used by wild beasts, but I've been inside and seen how far it goes."

"Wouldn't it be easier to fly to the village?" Joseph asked.

Seto tightens his eyes and remarks, "Not if it's hidden."

When they all walk inside, Mana clings to Mahad and complains that it's too dark to see anything. To put her friend at ease, Mystery carried a flame in her hand to light the path. She also walks in front of the others and stands beside Kisara and Freya so she knows where to go.

"Stick together," Kisara cautioned as everyone was walking. "It's easy to get lost in here."

"But you've been here many times before," reminded Mahad, "So you know the way, correct?"

She smiles and tells him, "Yes, but remember, the land where the hidden village resides is populated with many creatures. To protect their domain, the path is filled with traps and enchantments." Kisara's first encounter with the hidden village actually happened unintentionally. She was trying to hide from bandits and found herself in the cave. Unsure of where she was going, she kept on the path and soon found herself in a tiny village. The inhabitants were frightened, but they saw that she meant them no harm and was just trying to defend herself.

"Kisara," Atem was saying, "exactly what kinds of monsters live in the village?"

She looks back and tells him, "Wait until we get there. I want it to be a surprise."

It seems less frightening as the path continues, but bats starts swooping down and screeching. The group is taken by surprise and everyone is down on the floor ducking. The screeching quiets down as they bats fly away. Joseph growls. "Cave dwelling monsters are full of surprises." He would know because he loved training and exploring in the mountains and was very familiar with the monsters and their tricks. Joseph starts walking again, but jumps back in surprise, seeing a skeleton in the wall next to him.

Seto catches him and laughs. "You weren't lying when you said you scare easily, were you?"

Mystery darkens the flame in her hands. "The light must have startled the bats. Sorry, everybody."

"Don't worry, Mystery," said Kisara. "We're almost out now. But I'm afraid it's going to get more dangerous once we get closer."

Looking around, Joseph notices that not everyone is present. "Hey, guys, where's Mahad?"

Seto looks around as well and tells him, "We didn't take any turns, so he shouldn't be far behind us. The bats must've driven him the other way." Then they all hear Mahad yelling in fear.

"Do you hear that?" asked Atem. "It's Mahad."

Mana smiles and calls out, "Mahad, over here!"

Mahad runs back towards the group and resumes yelling. "Help me!" Once everyone gets a clear vision, they cry out in shock, seeing a Noibat clinging to his head. "Get this thing off of me!" he cries, still running in panic. Kisara and Freya hold each other, Joseph falls on his back, Mana falls on her stomach, and Mystery, Seto, and Atem help Mahad. Atem keeps Mahad still while Mystery calmly and gently removes Noibat and tells it to leave.

Seto catches his breath, stomps his foot, looks back at the others, and tells them, "From now on, nobody go bringing any unwanted guests or attracting unwanted attention."

Mana, still placing her hands over her eyes, weakly asks, "Is it safe to look?" Atem tells her it is, so she uncovers her eyes and gets on her knees.

Mystery sighs of relief and brushes the dust off of Mahad's clothes. "You gave us all quite a scare with that Noibat, Mahad," she told him as she was rubbing his back. Mahad was still shuddering. He knew the bat was gone, but feeling Mystery's hand on her back made it seem as if the creature was still clinging to him. "But I'm glad you're not hurt."

Mana wraps her arms around Mahad and tells him, "That was really scary. Don't ever do that again."

Mahad finally pulls himself together and wraps his arms around her. "It's all right now. I'm right here with everyone again."

Mystery lights the flame in her hands again, but sees three paths in front of her. "Which way do we go now?"

Kisara had to remember. She had tried all three paths once before. The path on the left led to a cave full of fairy type creatures and the center path was actually a hole she fell into that led her to an underground spring. That meant that the path to the hidden village was the path on the right. Looking down, she saw that her assumption was right. She saw her footprints and Kirara's paw prints in the dirt. "This way," Kisara said and started walking. "But be careful, keep calm, and slow down. We don't want to scare the villagers."

Daylight was just ahead. The group was excited that they would finally be able to see the hidden village and what kind of monsters lived in it. The exit was covered with vines. The children passed through the vines and their monsters began sniffing the air. Kisara cupped her hands over her mouth and made a call to let the villagers know she was in their presence.

Coming out of the little huts were creatures that looked like cream-colored bears with pink, purple, yellow, green, and blue wings. They were called Moogles and were no bigger than Mana. Mahad and Seto had read about Moogles back in the palace, but had never seen them. They were peaceful creatures, but preferred their home isolated from humans.

Looking at them, Mana can't help but smile and want to play with them. "Aww, they're so cute and tiny," she squealed.

Before she can run off, Mahad places his hands on her shoulders and tells her, "Remember, Mana, these Moogles are wild beasts and we have to be careful. We don't want to startle them."

Kisara takes Mana's hand and tells her, "It's all right to play with them, but Mahad's right. You have to be very gentle with the Moogles." Mana smiles and holds out her hand to pet one. The Moogle smiles and calls her friends over. Soon other little Moogles approach Mana and they all start hugging.

One Moogle with blue wings approaches Kisara and Kirara and welcomes them back to their village. He also does the same to Freya and Sakuya. But once the Moogle sees Prince Atem, he calls the rest of the Moogles over and they all bow before him.

Mystery smiles and tells Atem, "It seems these Moogles know you are the Egyptian prince. And it looks like they want to give you a gift." Seeing the Moogle approach them holding a treasure in his hands, Atem finds that she's right. The Moogle bows and gives Atem a belt made from the pelt of another of its kind.

"That's a Moogle Belt," explained Mahad. "If its wearer is a human, it will turn into a Moogle. You need not worry, however. The effects are temporary."

Mana wanted to try the Belt on, so she rejoined the rest of her friends and placed it around her waist. She had shrunk a few inches and grown bright pink wings out of her back. Everybody laughs; finding Mana to be the cutest thing they had ever seen. Even the Moogles are amused. Looking at her reflection in the pond, Mana can't help but join her friends in laughter, agreeing that she looks cute. Even though she removed the belt, she still took on the form of a Moogle, but didn't care. She was having too much fun. So much fun, in fact, that she didn't realize her amulet was glowing until she turned back into a human.

Kisara stops laughing and catches her breath. "These Moogles kindly welcomed me to their village and made it like another home to me. I've been coming here a lot, so everyone here is my friend."

"This place is amazing," said Atem. The Moogle leader waves his hand and tells everybody to follow him. He leads them to a larger hut and treats his guests to lunch. "Why, thank you," Atem says and sits down. The rest of the children sit together in a circle, give their thanks, and start eating. Even the rest of the monsters get their own personal dish.

Joseph swallows his bread after chewing, faces Kisara, and tells her, "You're lucky, Kisara, to have such amazing friends."

The Moogle giving Kisara some milk tells her the same thing about her human friends. Kisara smiles and blushes. _I guess this is what some would call having the best of both worlds, _she wonders to herself after taking a sip of her milk.

Mahad tastes some of the berries and finds them to be very sweet and even seedless. "Yes, the food here is most satisfying and the Moogles are very hospitable." He smiles at one Moogle and gives her his thanks.

Freya smiles and tells everybody, "Sakuya and I had the same impression as the rest of you when Kisara brought us here. This is a fun place to be in and the Moogles are very sweet; just like you guys and the palace."

Kisara speaks up and mentions, "Also, if you're interested, I can take you to see the rest of the corners I've explored." Beyond the village was a forest that concealed a cavern said to be the home of enchanted dragons. Kisara had been to the cavern, but never saw any dragons. This would be a great opportunity for her and her friends. Everyone was excited and kindly accepted Kisara's offer, but knew they couldn't head out right away. They would have to rest their stomachs for a while after eating. There would be no hurry though. There was still plenty to see around the village.

Mana loved playing with the Moogles and couldn't help but laugh and have fun. It even made Kisara laugh to see her friend in such great joy. It was so much fun, in fact, that she decided to play along. Seeing Kisara look so happy and loving towards her friends and the monsters made Seto smile. He found himself fond of her kindness and innocence and felt his heart racing. There really was more to her than how she appeared and he knew that soon enough, Seto and the others would see it.

Joseph was embarrassed to reveal that he didn't know how to swim, but Freya felt much obliged to teach him. So together, they went in the shallow end of the pond to get used to the water. Freya went deeper into the water. Joseph was scared to follow, but Freya promised she would be right with him. When he finally joined her in deep water, he lowered his body, held his hands in hers, and started kicking. He still wasn't ready to use his arms to support himself though. Freya didn't mind, however.

Mahad and Mystery decided to practice simple magic together. There would be no combat; just simple spells such as bending elements. Mystery decided to practice a lesson she learned in class about how to combine two elements together. The elements she chose were water and wind. Concentrating, Mystery tried to invoke the senses of joy and sadness; the emotions that responded to the two elements. Her left hand produced water while her right hand produced wind. Placing her hands close together, the forces were combining into ice. However, she was having a difficult time managing the temperature of the water, thus resulting into slush.

Seeing Mystery struggle, Mahad tries to help her. "Do you have a sad memory?" Mystery tries to think of the saddest memories she had. But her memories end up with finding peace. "I think I see the problem," said Mahad. "Your heart is warm; that is why the water you produce and control is warm. After all, light magic provides warmth, comfort, and contentment, anything pure and good."

It made sense to Mystery. The magic of the Millennium Star was meant to heal and defend and not to necessarily hurt anybody. The Star draws its strength from the goodness within; which would explain why the water was warm. "But how can I make it colder?"

Mahad couldn't think of a solution. All he could suggest was maybe to consult with her instructor once everyone would go back to the palace. But going home would soon be easier said than done. Everyone was having so much fun and would want to stay in the village.

Lying down on the grass, Atem faces the sky and watches three creatures fly above him and head to the forest. Wondering if they're the dragons Kisara mentioned, he sits up and tries to look closely at them, but they disappear from sight. His Riolu stands up on his feet, as if wondering the same thing. Then he sniffs the air and places his feet against the ground; feeling something coming his way. Atem notices how distressed his friend looks and asks, "Riolu, what's the matter?"

"Trouble," he growls. Kirara arches her back and starts hissing; agreeing that something is on the move. The Moogles sense the danger as well and run back inside their huts.

The children and their guardian beasts gather around and start feeling it in their heels that it's getting closer. As it turned out, it was a group of Pebblers; forest dwelling creatures that looked like porcupines, but had blue spikes on their backs and yellow stomachs. Kisara had seen Pebblers come and attack the Moogles to claim their village as their territory.

Kirara alters her size to take on the form of a big cat with saber fangs and roars at the intruders. The Pebblers aren't intimidated, however. They had been roared at by Kirara many times before. But they were worried because they were outnumbered. There were six Pebblers and eight children and eight guardian beasts. Together, Mystery and Mahad use their magic to ward of the Pebblers while the monsters drive them back into the forest. The Pebblers had never faced magic before and didn't want to take their chances against their new opponents, so they decided to retreat.

The battle wasn't over yet, so there was no time to celebrate. Pebblers weren't vicious, but they were stubborn. Other than that, it didn't seem like they came to attack the village. They didn't even look like they wanted to fight. "Those Pebblers," Mystery was saying, "didn't attack us. I don't even think they wanted to fight."

Kisara faces Mystery and tells her, "Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Pebblers don't turn back immediately. They never did that to me or Kirara before. My guess is that something else was already attacking those Pebblers."

"There must be something in the forest," suggested Atem. "A few moments ago, I saw something fly overhead and head there. I thought they were dragons, but it was hard to tell." Soon the ground in their heels starts quaking. A new threat was at large. A wingless bird with large legs emerged from the forest and approached the children and their monsters. It let out a mighty screech and jumped on the huts.

Seto had recognized the monster from one of the books. "It's a Spring Beak," he alerted his friends. "It's a deadly predator. Although it can't fly, it can jump at a great height. Its claws can shred through anything and its beak can pierce through anything. One attack means certain death."

"Thanks for the analysis," said Joseph. "But how do we stop it?"

"It has a weakness to earth-based spells. Its southern relative, the Axe Beak, has a weakness to ice. Just like any airworthy creature, the Beak can also be easily defeated with lightning attacks," Seto answered. None of the guardian beasts knew any attacks based upon the categories Seto mentioned.

Mystery was just learning to manage ice and she hadn't practiced earth magic yet. Not even Mahad's illusionary skills would stand up to the monster. But they had to try. "Everyone, get the Moogles to safety," Mystery ordered. "Worry not, Millennia is with us." Then she unfolds her wings and matches her wits against the Spring Beak.

"Come on, you heard Mystery," shouted Joseph. "We have to help the Moogles." Everyone agrees and runs around. The boys get the Moogles out of their huts while the girls look for a place for them to hide. They decide to lead them to the tunnel they went through to get to the village. Kisara knew that this would be her time to be strong for the friends she loved; the royals and the Moogles. She sees Mystery in the sky casting every spell she can to attack the monster and realizes she's becoming exhausted.

The Spring Beak becomes agitated with Mystery. No longer jumping to catch her and dodge her attacks, it instead screeches and lunges itself towards her. Mystery gasps and loses her concentration; stopping herself from launching another spell. The monster attacks again, forcing Mystery to the ground.

Unable to stand by and watch her friend suffer any longer, Kisara runs to Mystery's rescue and they slide into the pond. "Mystery, are you all right?"

She opens her eyes. "I think so." She stands up and groans. She had never faced off against a creature so dangerous before, but she couldn't let it hurt her friends.

Kisara stops Mystery. "You're hurt. Let me take it from here."

"But, Kisara, what can you do?"

She smiles and tells her, "I can be here for you and the rest of our friends." Then Kisara gets out of the water and walks towards the Spring Beak. It screeches at her, but she stands still with determination. Her amulet also starts glowing._ I will protect my friends_, she vows, _the royals, the Moogles, and my family._ A blue light shines around her, then rises above her and takes on the shape of a dragon.

Seto's eyes widen. He recognized the monster the moment it came into view. "That's it!" he cried, "The White Dragon Mystery and I saw the night my village was destroyed!"

The others are just as impressed and frightened. Now they finally knew Kisara's secret. But they give her all the support she needs by cheering for her.

Kisara opens her eyes and faces the Spring Beak. "Attack," she whispers. The White Dragon roars and launches a blast of White Lightning; obliterating the monster and brightening up the entire vicinity. A minute later, the light fades and the Dragon disappears. Kisara gets on her knees and starts panting of exhaustion.

The Moogles come out of the cave and gather around their friend. Repeatedly, they bow and chant, "Queen Kisara, Queen Kisara,"

Amazed, Freya whispers, "The Moogles think Kisara is their queen." Then she remembered that Moogles were creatures of light and Kisara held the amulet of light. Other than that, the beast that dwelled inside her cousin was also a creature of light.

Atem continues to stare with amazement as well. "I've never seen anything like it before; such tremendous power."

"It's the light of her soul," Mahad whispered.

Not even Mystery can believe what she just saw. Remembering what happened the night she met Kisara for the first time and the White Dragon that saved her and Seto, was that Kisara giving Mystery her strength when she felt weak? "Kisara," she whispers affectionately. She approaches her and sets her hand on her shoulder.

Kisara opens her eyes and faces Mystery. "It's true, I hold the power of the White Dragon you and Seto both saw." She wants to explain, but she's too exhausted. Everyone understands, so they all agree to let her rest.


	18. Kisara and Freya Explain it all

Kisara and Freya Explain it all

The children and their guardian beasts decided to stay and help the Moogles repair the damages that had been done to their huts from the attacks of the intruders. Straw was gathered by the humans for the roofs and all the monsters used their own powers to craft the huts. Cracks were patched up, rubble was removed, and some places that were crushed had been rebuilt. It wasn't an easy task, however. By the time everyone finished, it was already dark outside. They knew they would have to remain with the Moogles until tomorrow.

Dry branches, wood, and stones were gathered from the forest and brought to the center to build a fire. The boys went to the pond to catch some fish for dinner. Even the Moogles shared their crops as thanks to the children for helping repair their village. Gladly, Mystery starts the fire and Seto and Joseph place the fish they caught around it. It would take a while for the fish to cook, so everyone sits by the fire to keep themselves warm.

Having rested enough, Kisara rejoins her friends around the fire and sits between Seto and Mahad. She knows everyone wants to talk to her about what happened and that there would be no point in keeping any more secrets from them.

The conversation begins with Mana asking, "Are you feeling better, Kisara?"

She nods and sighs. "I'm sorry, everybody."

Joseph smiles and tells her, "Don't worry about it. I admit you had us worried, but it's good to see you're all right."

Kisara raises her voice and snaps, "That's not it! Mother Goddess, Joseph, stop acting like there's nothing wrong when you know something is!" She calms down and apologizes again.

Freya approaches her cousin and starts rubbing her back. "Calm down," she sooths. "It's all right now. Just take it easy."

"Kisara," Seto was saying, "if you can tell us the truth, then I promise I will do my best to try and understand." Everyone else nods and promises the same thing, but she looks away and keeps quiet. To make her feel assured, Seto adds,"Kisara, we're your friends and we trust you, but you have to be honest with us."

Mana speaks up as well. "Kisara, you're one of us; part of our family. Being a Child of Millennia doesn't mean having to push your friends away and face things alone. What are you afraid of?"

She was afraid of a lot of things; one of them being losing her friends if they she explained everything to them; another being losing control and losing everybody to her own power. But she already promised herself and her cousin that she would reveal all of her secrets and explain to the best of her ability no matter how frightened she was. Finally, Kisara lifts her head. "All right. As I mentioned before I collapsed, there is a White Dragon with blue eyes dwelling in my soul. It's like a guardian and is always protecting me whenever I'm in danger. But I can't always control it."

Freya speaks up and explains, "Sometimes whenever Kisara goes to sleep, the White Dragon breaks loose. But when she's conscious, it's like she becomes the Dragon."

"You mean," Mahad was asking, "Kisara, can you will it?"

"Sometimes," Kisara answers. "But I'm afraid of it. I know it's my gift and my guardian, but I'm afraid I may end up hurting the wrong people when I use it. I've even been afraid of hurting my own cousin. And I was afraid to share it with you, let alone use it in your presence."

"But you did," interrupted Seto. "Why did you?"

"I had to take my chances. I would never forgive myself if I just stood by and watched all of you get hurt. Thankfully, my Dragon didn't attack any of you."

"No," whispered Mystery. "It protected us, just like before. Your White Dragon saved me and Seto the night we met. Also, it was like the White Dragon was giving me its strength when I was becoming exhausted."

"Your wish to protect your friends summoned the White Dragon," Atem told her, seeing as he was understanding the whole thing. "That's why it protected us and didn't attack us."

"It was your light," Mahad told her. "You used it for us."

Kisara looks down at her amulet, remembering that it was glowing before the White Dragon was summoned. It truly was the light of her soul. "That's right; the light inside of me saved you."

Joseph faces Freya and asks, "Freya, I know you would know more about Kisara's gift because you girls grew up together, but I need to know, are you like her?"

Freya knew what he was talking about. "Your assumption is correct. A Black Dragon with red eyes is lurking inside my own soul. My cousin and I are in the same predicament."

"And does your Dragon appear the same way Kisara's does?"

Freya shakes her head. "I don't actually fare better than Kisara. I can't control it at all. When I can, it's mostly by luck." Freya couldn't yet will the Red-Eyes Black Dragon the same way her cousin could will the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It didn't always just appear whenever she felt threatened or scared either. Actually, whenever she felt either of those things, she would clasp her hands together and pray. Afterwards, the Black Dragon would appear and protect her as if it were a guardian angel. Still, she had not yet learned to summon it of her own will the same way Kisara could.

Curious, Mana smiles and asks, "How long have you girls been like this?"

Kisara smiles with modesty and answers, "For as long as we can remember, I suppose." It was actually a fact. Neither of the girls actually knew how they got their powers except that they just sort of came to them and were trying to control them. "When we began understanding our Dragons the same way Mystery began understanding the powers of the Millennium Star, we knew right away that our gifts were also curses that could be extremely dangerous. Accidents actually have happened over time and people have gotten hurt and even… disappeared." She didn't exactly know how to explain the meaning of the disappearances, only that whatever was attacked by the Dragons had never been seen or heard from again.

"So, you see, that's why…" Freya was trying to finish, but she didn't know how to put it. "That's why we…"

"You've been all alone ever since," Seto finished for her. The girls nod. "And do you girls want it to be that way for the rest of your lives? Just the two of you?"

Without paying attention, Kisara answers, "Yes." She comes back to her sense and changes her answer. "No, of course not. It's just… complicated."

"Is it because you're afraid you might hurt us," asked Atem. "That won't happen." He stands up and explains, "Kisara, your light is meant to protect those you care about: your friends and your family. How you used the power of the White Dragon proves it. And, Freya, your Black Dragon answered your prayer that your loved ones would be protected as well." Then he faces Joseph and reminds him about his story.

"That's right," realized Joseph. "Freya, did your Black Dragon rescue me because you prayed for it to do so?" She nods slowly with wide eyes, realizing the same thing. She did pray for her Dragon to protect Joseph in return for him helping her. "And look at your amulets. Their themes are to promote-"

"Hope and light," the girls say together slowly, looking at their amulets. "These _weren't_ given to us by coincidence," Kisara was realizing, her voice becoming stronger now. "It was destiny. Just like meeting all of you."

"That's right," Mystery told her. "We were fated to meet and become friends. Like we said, we are… Children of Millennia," she slowly finished. Everyone else starts coming to the same explanations and agreements.

Kisara and Freya smile at each other and nod. "And we know for sure that we'll be able to control our powers."

Joseph speaks up and tells them, "And we're going to help you all the way. Don't worry, girls. Your secret's safe with us."

"We need it to be that way," Freya said desperately. There was actually one last reason the girls remained isolated. Sorcerers have sought to claim their powers and use it for themselves. As dangerous as their powers were, they were still incredibly strong and had to be protected.

As the girls explain that, everyone realizes that for the White and Black Dragons to be taken would mean ending their existence. They all knew that a monster that had bonded within a human for too long and been severed from the soul meant ending its host's life. Kisara and Freya had lived with the Dragons dwelling in their souls for as long as they could remember. Giving up their powers meant sacrificing themselves to the shadows. No one could bear to let that happen to those girls after promising them that they would help them.

Joseph stands up and places his hands over the girl's shoulders. "We promised that we would help you and we're going to keep that promise." That was one of Joseph's benefits. If he ever promised something to anybody, he wouldn't stop until his promise had been fulfilled.

As much as Freya has hopeful and didn't dare doubt the people she trusted, she wasn't sure. She had to ask, "But how?"

He smiles and tells her, "My friend, we're Children of Millennia." He chuckles and adds, "We'll find the answer together as a team. Better yet, a family."

Kisara's eyes shine as they fill with tears. "We've never had much of a family before."

Mystery shakes her head. "You girls have always had a family: us." She spreads her arms out as a gesture to show that she means herself and the others. "You also have the pharaoh and the Great Goddess. You are part of our family."

Mana walks up to Kisara and Freya and tells them, "Kisara, Freya, I like you girls. It's like having big sisters to look up to and play with. It's true. You're part of our family and we all belong together." The girls get down to Mana and hug her.

Everyone else gathers around Kisara and Freya and hugs them. "We love you girls," said Atem.

A tear falls from Kisara's eye as she happily sobs, "And we love you; all of you." Their monsters rub themselves against everyone affectionately. Both Kisara and Freya were happy with the way things turned out for them in their discussion. All of their friends appreciated their honesty and were impressed with their courage for opening up to them. They weren't even afraid of their powers and seemed to understand them very well. More than that, there were a lot of promises made to the girls that couldn't afford to be broken. At last, both Kisara and Freya had a real family and were surrounded by people who accepted and loved them for who they were, the way they were.


	19. The Dragon's Calling

The Dragon's Calling

When the morning finally came, the group got together and discussed what to do. One half of the team wanted to go back to the palace while the other half wanted to go to the cavern in the forest. Everyone was well rested and fully recovered from yesterday's battle, but the royals weren't used to having adventures just like their commoner friends. All the more reason to keep going on. There was still plenty to learn and see. Kisara had actually often wondered if she would find answers about her power in dragon territory. That was one reason why she wanted to go to the cavern. She had heard about a dragon similar to the creature of her soul and wanted to find out if it was true.

Everyone had finished their breakfast, but before setting out on their adventure, three injured Moogles came out of the forest and walked towards them. Immediately, Mahad gathered his medical supplies and began treating their injuries. "What could have happened to you?" he asked as he was rubbing medicine on them. The Moogles couldn't help but wince and whine as their wounds were being treated. "I know it hurts, but please try to endure it."

Listening carefully, Mystery learns from the Moogles that some of their fellow villagers had been captured by Goblins and taken to the cavern. These three managed to escape, but barely. "They were trying to rescue their friends, but were attacked."

"Goblins," asked Joseph. "They're fierce creatures. They dislike humans and hunt creatures for their hides and bones to fashion clothes and weapons." He remembered seeing Goblins wear hats fashioned from the pelts of Rabites and clothes from wolf skin. "I'm guessing they want the hide of those poor Moogles."

One Moogle shakes his head. "Not for our fur. To eat us." He sees that his friends are confused, so he explains, "Big snake in forest near cavern. Goblins capture us to feed to snake. White dragon come to help us. White dragon try to fight snake. The three of us escape, but many others still trapped."

The children gasp. Kisara immediately decides to help rescue the Moogles that are still trapped. "I have to go there."

Seto's eyes widen. "Are you mad? We can't. None of us would stand a chance against a large mountain serpent. We could barely even defend ourselves against that Spring Beak yesterday."

Kisara sees that her friends are worried. "I understand how worried you are and I won't risk your safety, but please understand; the Moogles are family to me just like all of you."

"We understand, Kisara, but we don't want to lose you," said Mana. "We love the Moogles too and want to help them as much as you do, so we want to come with you."

Mahad finishes treating the wounds on the last Moogle and tells Kisara, "We all promised you that we would be with you and help you. We may not realize the dangers ahead, but we never abandon those who are in need of our help." He smiles at her and adds, "Besides, I already told the king I would protect you and the others, so I'm coming along."

Atem stands as well and declares, "You were there for us yesterday, so we can be here for you."

Joseph nods as well. "Remember, we're a team; a family. We'll always be here for each other. What do you say?" he asks as he holds out his hand.

As Kisara shakes Joseph's hand, Seto adds, "And I would never forgive myself if anything were to happen to you because I… well, I…"

"I understand," Kisara tells him, not giving him any time to finish. "Thank you, everybody."

"All right, let's go," Atem says with determination, acting like a true leader. And the Children of Millennia head to the forest.

They truly didn't know what they would be up against. If this mountain serpent could fight off a fully grown white dragon and devour a Moogle whole, it would have to be very large in length and width. There would also be no telling whether or not it was venomous. One thing was for sure, they had to be careful and stay together. One careless mistake would surely guarantee them to be the snake's next meal.

The forest was filled with so many trees and shrubs and the wind carried with it so many different sounds. Lots of different animals and monsters were living here as well; from birds to reptiles and mammals. Wafting through the area was the smell of many different flowers and plants and several different odors of creatures. As delicious as the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds seemed, there was no time to taste any of it.

Finally, they all made it to the cavern, but stopped before going inside. For all they knew, the snake could be inside waiting to strike at its next victim. They had to be quiet and not make any sudden moves. Mystery got an idea. She approached the entrance and concentrated on a spell that would allow her to penetrate the darkness. A fireball formed in her hands and she launched it. As it went deeper into the darkness, Mystery noticed that there was nothing in sight. "There is no snake in sight, but I am afraid my spell may have alerted it."

"That's right," said Seto. "Reptilian beasts react to heat. That fire may draw its attention and bring it to us." Cautiously, they maintain their positions and wait it out. No sound is made and nothing leaves the cavern. "Either the snake is sleeping or is out in the forest eating its fill."

Mana speaks up and says, "One of the Moogles said it was fighting a white dragon. Maybe it was beaten?"

"We can't assume that yet," said Mahad. "For now, I think we should focus on rescuing the prisoners." Everyone agrees and starts walking.

The children find that the tunnel that they're walking through is nothing like the one they went through to get to the hidden village. There are lots of different tunnels to pass through and Goblins could be hiding anywhere. "Where do we go from here?"

Frightened and worried, Kisara starts to lose her nerve. Then she clasps her hands together and starts praying. "Please, help us." Thinking about the Moogles, a tear falls from her eye. As if she can hear them, a voice tells her where to go. At the same time, her amulet starts glowing and a blue light covers her outline. She opens her eyes and starts walking. "This way," she tells her friends.

They don't question Kisara's instinct. They trust her and follow her. They soon find themselves standing above cages containing Moogles surrounded by Goblins. It pains them to see the poor creatures have to suffer as they await a doom they don't deserve to face.

"We have to save them," said Mana.

Mahad stops her and covers her mouth. "Shh. If the Goblins notice us, we too will be captured. If that happens, we won't be able to save the Moogles."

Looking around, Atem notices that some of the Goblins are sleeping. He also notices a pile of weapons laid out unprotected. Knowing their guardian beasts might not stand a chance, the young prince and his friends must be able to protect themselves and each other somehow._ I appreciate my friends looking out for each other and protecting each other; especially me. But now, it is my turn to be there for them. I will never be a true leader if I keep hiding behind them. A leader must face his fears and his enemies and put those he cares about before himself. I must do so for my friends_. Looking down at the amulet hanging from his neck, Atem notices that it's glowing. He gathers his courage and jumps down to the cages.

The Goblins notice his presence and become alert. Avoiding their attacks, Atem races to the weapons, takes a sword, and starts waving it around. Riolu jumps on the Goblins and starts attacking them as well to protect his master. The rest of the children and their guardian beasts join in the battle. Seto takes a whip and lashes it to keep the Goblins at bay and Freya comes to Atem's aid. Mana, Mahad, and Mystery use their magic to fight.

Kisara, on the other hand, approaches the cages. Kirara gives her the keys to open the doors. "Kirara, leave me with the Moogles," she softly demands. "Protect the rest of our friends." Kirara does as told and pounces on the Goblins. One of them tries to attack Kisara, but she just lays a glance giving a message showing she doesn't want to be disturbed. Intimidated, the Goblin backs away, but doesn't run off before Joseph shoots an arrow from his bow and stops him. Kisara picks up a baby Moogle and cradles it. "It's all right, little one," she softly coos. "No more cages."

"The Goblins are gone now," said Mahad. "But I'm afraid there are still more dangers ahead. So we'll help all of you get back to your village." He was right. They couldn't forget that the mountain serpent was still at large.

Seto speaks up and tells them, "If we go back the way we came, we might run into the snake unintentionally. We can't let that happen. We'll have to lead the Moogles down a different path."

"But these tunnels go on for miles," said Mana. "And what if the snake is already here? How do we get the Moogles to safety?"

Again, Kisara starts glowing. As if she hears a voice inside her head, something tells her where to lead her friends. She wonders if the beast of her soul it trying to guide her. Nonetheless, she stands up. "My light will guide us," she says and starts walking. Everyone follows her.

Joseph moves closer to Freya and asks, "Any idea why she's glowing like that or how she knows where to go?"

Freya whispers back, "Sometimes, with Kisara, you don't ask. Take it from me. I've known her my whole life and I just go with the things she does. I sometimes wonder if it's the White Dragon because it's like Kisara doesn't even know what she's doing half the time. Don't get me wrong, I believe in her."

Kisara leads her friends outside, but they're trapped on a cliff. "Looks like we're going to have to climb down from here," said Joseph. He moves closer to the edge and finds that it's not too steep. Slowly and with ease, he makes his way to the bottom. "It's not so hard. You can make it." Then he hears something rustle behind him. He turns around and sees red eyes glowing at him. Terrified, he stands with his legs trembling. "Guys," he whimpers. The snake comes out of the trees and moves closer to him.

"Joseph, don't move," Jirachi calls. "I'll save you." Concentrating, he uses his psychic powers and teleports Joseph back to the cliff.

"Thanks a lot, little friend," Joseph says gratefully, now catching his breath. "Mother Goddess, that was scary. I mean, look at the size of that thing. It must be a dozen feet long. It almost even swallowed me whole."

"Something that big must also be strong enough to squeeze the life out of a fully-grown dragon," mentioned Freya. The snake looks up at the cliff and fiercely hisses. "Can that thing see and hear us? I swear it's looking right at us."

Then Seto remembered something he said before they entered the tunnels, that the snake is drawn to heat. He faces Kisara and says, "Kisara's light must be releasing some kind of heat; drawing the snake's attention. Kisara, you've got to contain it."

Mahad faces the snake once again. "It seems to be going back inside the tunnels. I wonder if it knows how to find us." He remembered that snakes are habitual and that this mountain serpent must know its way around very well. He faces Jirachi and asks him, "Jirachi, can you teleport us back to the Moogle village?"

"Not all at once," he answers.

Mahad sighs of annoyance. "All right then. Teleport as many as you can and get the others to safety. I'll stay and deal with the mountain serpent."

"You can't fight that thing alone," debated Seto. "You'll be killed."

"I can't let any of you get killed," he retorted. "Please get out of here."

Atem's amulet starts glowing again. "No," he argues. "I'm staying with you. I would never forgive myself if I went back on my word and ran away." Everyone understands how serious the prince is, so they submit and let him have his way. Even Mahad gives in. Atem smiles and repeats his promise. "Worry not, we'll do this together. But for now, let's get these Moogles to safety."

Mystery gets down first and peers inside the tunnel. Seeing that it's empty, she calls to her friends, "I can't see the snake, so it must be making its way to you. Take this chance to get everybody down and make their way through the forest." Seto and Joseph climb down while Kirara carries Atem, Mana, and Mahad. Jirachi teleports himself and the other monsters down to the ground. Finally, the Moogles start coming down from the cliff.

The children on the ground make sure the path is safe to cross and help the Moogles safely return to their village. Looking around, Seto notices that Kisara is missing. He looks up and finds that she's still on the cliff helping some of the Moogles climb down. "Run, come on," he whispers.

"Just take it slow as you climb," Kisara tells them, "One step at a time."

"Kisara, save yourself," Seto calls out to her. "Come down while there's still time."

She gives him her attention, but doesn't take his advice. "I can't leave until all of my friends are safe, Seto."

"All right," said Seto. "I guess I'll just have to come and get you." Then he starts running back to the cliff. As the Moogles come down, he climbs up.

Kisara sighs of relief as she sees the last Moogle reach the ground and follow her fellow villagers through the forest. She finally gets on her feet, but gasps of fright as she sees the snake coming out of the tunnel. Slowly, Kisara backs away, but stops once she realizes there isn't any ground left. Not soon enough, however. She's so close to the edge that she loses her balance and falls back. Kirara comes to her rescue and catches her before she hits the ground. Mahad and Atem, still riding on Kirara's back, help Kisara sit up.

"Are you all right?" Atem asks.

"I am," Kisara answers, "but Seto's still in trouble." She faces the cliff and sees that Seto is just in reach of the snake. The serpent detects his presence and lunges right at him. Seto pushes himself off the wall, but Kirara can't catch him with the weight she's already carrying. Instead, Mystery flies towards Seto and catches him. Everyone is reunited once again on the ground, but it's too soon to celebrate and too late to escape. Although the mountain serpent failed to attack Seto, it still slammed itself against the mountain wall, thus losing its grip and falling to the ground. The snake hisses fiercely and coils itself up.

"We've got no choice but to fight this thing head on," said Joseph. He reaches back and takes an arrow from his quiver. The others steady themselves as well.

"Remember, don't make any sudden moves," Seto cautioned. "If we scatter, it'll strike."

Atem moves closer to Jirachi and whispers a plan in his ear. "Teleport me back on the cliff. I'll attack it from above."

"All right," Jirachi tells him, "but we'll have to avert its attention from the others also."

Hearing that, Mahad gets an idea. Remembering that the snake hit its head against the rocky wall of the cliff, he decides to charm it by playing music on his flute. The snake calms down as it sways to the music. The others take this chance to divide themselves and get in different positions around the snake. Mystery takes flight, but doesn't attack yet. Kirara carries Seto and Joseph above the ground and out of reach. The rest of the girls join Atem on the cliff, leaving Mahad to keep the snake distracted.

Worried about Mahad, Mana can't wait any longer. She jumps off of the cliff, lands on the snake, and wraps her arms and legs around the snake to try and choke it. The snake is much stronger, however, and wrings itself out to force Mana off of it. Finally, Mana loses her grip and is thrown against the wall. The snake tries to catch Mana, but Mahad gets in its way and allows it to coil itself around him.

"Mahad, no!" Mana cries.

Knowing he's hurt and can barely breathe, Mahad tries to speak. "The king would never let me hear the end of it if he found out I let something happen to you. I'm responsible for your safety. It's my duty to protect you." He groans once again and loses consciousness. At the same time, his amulet starts glowing. Then, as if by magic, a purple light shines around him and he disappears. A second later, Mahad reappears lying flat on the ground. The Mana and Mystery approach him and try to revive him.

Tears start falling from Mana's eyes. "Oh, this is all my fault," she sobs. "Mahad was only trying to protect me. I'll never forgive myself."

Atem takes this chance to fight back. He would never forgive himself either if the rest of his friends got hurt. He firmly grasps his sword, jumps from the cliff, and lunges it against the serpent's back. The snake screeches in pain and tries to fend off its attacker. Atem removes the sword and tries again. This time, he goes for the head. Kirara swoops down and lifts Atem in the air. She gets away from the snake and sets him down close to Mahad. Seto and Joseph get off of her and kneel down.

Mahad finally regains consciousness and starts coughing. Seto takes his hand and helps him get back on his feet. Seto wanted to yell and scold at him for being careless, but he was happy that his friend was alive. Actually, the one he was mad at was Mana. He approaches her and slaps her. "What could you have been thinking? You almost got yourself and Mahad killed!"

Mana places her hand over her cheek. "I was just…"

Mahad raises his hand to stop Seto from striking her again. "Seto, I'm just as angry as you are, but Mana only wanted to help." He faces her and asks, "Is that right?"

She opens her eyes and nods. "I was worried about you and wanted to protect you."

He gets down to her and tells her, "That was so brave of you. But at the same time, dangerous. Still, are you all right?"

Mana wipes her eyes and tells him, "Of course. But I hope I never have to do that again. I admit it wasn't fun." Mahad smiles and picks Mana up as he hugs her. Mana hugs him as well and says, "Thank you for rescuing me."

"Of course," he tells her, "and thank you for doing the same thing for me." He faces the others and tells them, "You all know I would have done the same thing for her and the rest of you."

Joseph rubs the back of his head and chuckles and says, "Of course, and we would've done the same for you." He focuses his gaze at Seto and asks him, "Right, Set?"

Keeping calm and being honest, he agrees with Joseph. "Absolutely. That's what a friend is for."

Mana faces the boys and tells them, "You can say that again."

Seto looks at Mahad's amulet and notices that it's still glowing. He acted responsibly and saved his friend when she was in danger. But he couldn't have been able to save himself. "Mahad," Seto asks, "how did you escape from the snake's grasp?"

Mahad sets Mana down and tells him, "Honestly, I don't know." He puts his gaze on Jirachi and asks him if he saved him. Jirachi shakes his head. Mahad knew that he didn't cast a spell because he couldn't move and Mystery didn't know any transporting spells. Then he looks down at his amulet. "Could it be?"

Looking above from the cliff, Kisara and Freya are happy to see that their friends are all right, but soon realize that the fight isn't over. Snakes don't accept death even once they've been killed. Their nerves take over and keep them moving. Freya raises her voice and calls to the others, "Get out while you can! The mountain serpent can still fight even after it's been killed!"

Seto and Mahad realize the same thing and tell everybody to get going. But before they all start running, the snake's body starts moving around. "We're trapped," Joseph cries, "there's no telling when it's going to strike or from where."

Kisara and Freya hold each other's hands and start praying. Their amulets start glowing and so do their outlines. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon appear and roar at the mountain serpent. This was their last resort. Freya had to concentrate and relax if she wanted to control her beast and save her friends and Kisara had to do the same thing. The rest of the children and their monsters escape and take cover inside the tunnel so they don't get caught in the blast. Together, the Dragons launch their attacks and finally defeat the mountain serpent.

Mana is the first to come outside. "Is it gone?"

Kisara and Freya stop glowing, come down, and tell the others that the coast is clear.

Everyone finally comes outside. "You did it again, Kisara," Atem said gratefully. "You saved all of us. So did you, Freya."

Mahad walks closer to Kisara and tells her, "Kisara, I can feel your light. It's making me strong again." The others wrap their arms around themselves and tell her the same thing. "Girls, your powers are more incredible than any of us thought. It's like you're sharing your powers with us; replenishing our energy."

Joseph starts cheering and hollering. "Mother Goddess, did you see the way that snake opened his mouth?" He starts imitating the serpent as he recalls everything that happened. "He almost ate me up right there. And it was so amazing when the prince jumped on him and stabbed him. I swear that was so awesome! We all made such a great team and…" he finally slows down as he faces Atem and tells him, "My prince, you were really brave today."

The prince smiles with modesty as he rubs the back of his head. "Thank you, and so was the rest of you."

Joseph winks and holds up two fingers. "Like I said, we're a team and we'll always be there for each other."

Seto smiles and places his hand over Mahad's shoulder. "You and Mana were pretty brave too."

Mana looks up at him and tells him, "We learn from you and Joseph. And everybody else."

Facing the sky, Mystery tells everybody to look up. They follow her gaze and see a dragon with white fur and blue eyes. She gets closer to the ground and lands in front of everybody. She was a white Mana dragon; like the one from the stories they children had been told back at the palace. No one believed that one had actually lived in Egypt.

A baby dragon climbs down and gets behind his mother's legs. The children gather around and look at the beasts in amazement. Kisara takes a step closer and asks, "Are you the white dragon said to live in the cavern?"

Speaking with a feminine voice, the dragon answers, "I am. And I have heard about you, Kisara. The girl who has been living among the Moogles."

Kisara gets down on her knees and apologizes. "Forgive me for intruding in your domain, but-"

"Apologies are unnecessary," the dragon tells her. "You and your friends came to rescue the Moogles that were captured. You also defeated the mountain serpent that had invaded my territory and for that, I am grateful." The dragon explains to the children that she was trying to protect her young as well as the Moogles while her mate decided to fight the snake. Unfortunately, her mate had been killed. "Then I felt a strange sensation; a force unlike any I had ever felt before. It was coming from you, Kisara. I also felt one coming from your cousin Freya."

Hearing the dragon say that, Kisara remembers what she wanted to talk about with the beast. "White Mana Dragon," Kisara addresses, "We accept your gratitude, but I have something I wish to discuss with you; questions I think you may be able to answer."

The Mana Dragon was a very wise and noble beast and had known about Kisara's predicament. "I understand, Kisara, that the Blue-Eyes White Dragon dwells inside your soul. For a young girl like you to be blessed with such an incredible power makes you a child of destiny. The same can be said for you, Freya. Although it is true that your Red-Eyes Black Dragon is a creature of darkness, you use its powers for good instead of evil. That makes you different from the others blessed with darkness and very much like your cousin."

The two cousins face each other. Creatures of light and darkness fighting alongside each other. Two cousins, different in appearance and personality, yet alike in so many ways. Their appearances was no coincidence either; they looked exactly like their Dragons. "But we're both daughters of Millennia," protested Freya, thinking that being blessed with dark powers shouldn't make her a child of the Dark Lord.

The Mana Dragon rubs her face against Freya to calm her down. "I am not judging you girls. But I am afraid I do not know any more than you do. Therefore, I cannot help you understand your powers. I can only assume that being gifted with the powers of the White and Black Dragons makes you girls knights of light and darkness."

Seto and Atem gasp hearing that. The both of them had heard something like that before, but forgot where.

"I still have questions for you," Kisara told her.

As if the Mana Dragon can read her mind, she tells her, "You have been hearing the voice of the spirit within. Your White Dragon was guiding you. Kisara, if you can trust your power, then you can use it. And Freya, if you know what it is you truly wish, then your Black Dragon will answer your prayer. But you must also listen to its voice and learn what you can give it."

The girls face each other once again. Kisara looks back at the Dragon and tells her, "Thank you, but do you know if there is a dragon that can help us?"

"I will give you each a clue," the Mana Dragon tells her. She gives Kisara her clue first and says, "The light is where the truth lies." Then she faces Freya and says, "As for you, Freya, beyond hope, you will find your ideals." She stands up and apologizes once again. "I am sorry, but this is all I have to give. However, my young and I are indebted to you and your friends, so I will be here should any of you need me." The baby dragon stands on his hind legs, picks Kisara up, cradles her like a parent to a child, and kisses her forehead. His mother kisses Kisara as well and tells her, "You girls are like sisters to my kindred, so you are always welcome among us."

As she's set down, Kisara wraps her arms around the Mana Dragon to hug her. "Thank you, my friend." Freya does the same thing.

The Mana Dragon and her baby both purr. "Now then, let's get you all back to the village. That is how far I can take you. If you wish to return to the palace, I am afraid you will have to find another way." Mystery unfolds her wings and carries Mana in her arms while the Dragon lets Atem, Seto, Mahad, and Joseph ride on her back. Kirara transforms into a big cat once again and carries Freya and Kisara on her back. The baby Mana Dragon lets his mother carry him in her arms. Finally, everyone returns to the Moogle village safe and sound. The two Mana Dragons return to their home in the cavern. Watching them fly, Atem learns that they were the dragons he saw flying overhead yesterday; the Mana Dragon, her baby, and the mate she lost.

Seto follows Atem's gaze and smiles as he watches the Mana Dragons fly away. "Honestly, I think that's incredible; seeing a real Mana Dragon up close. I didn't know they lived here in Egypt." Seto knew almost everything about almost every known dragon in the world; real ones and dragon-based monsters. As he and Atem face each other, Seto tells him, "You know, I think when I get bigger, I'm going to become a dragon rider. That's always been one of my dreams." It was a fact about him. Seto had hoped that one day, he would ride a dragon and soar the skies. It was even a sport some of the royals enjoyed. People would ride on the backs of dragons and race in the kingdom.

"What kind of dragon do you think you'll want to ride?"

Seto faces his Bagon and answers, "Perhaps when Bagon reaches its final stage and becomes a dragon that can fly, I'll ride him. I know it's his dream to fly as well." Bagon jumps off of the roof of a hut and hits the ground. He didn't hurt himself, though. He would always jump and crash to make himself stronger and convince himself that he was coming closer to fulfilling his dream of flying.


	20. Love and Light

Love and Light

Again, everyone agreed to spend another night in the village. It would be their second night outside of the palace. Mahad decided to write a message to the pharaoh and let him know how things were going for everybody. As he was writing, he remembered to consider the promise he and the others made to Kisara and Freya. He couldn't mention the Blue-Eyes White Dragon or the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. He said he was going to protect the girls and their secrets and he would do so even if it meant keeping quiet about it to the king.

Mahad looked over the letter once, seeing that it mentioned the monsters they battled, their location, the friends they made, and the magic of their amulets. It seemed to be enough to consider, so he folded the letter. But getting it to the palace was another thing. Mahad found Jirachi swimming in the pond with the rest of the monsters and called him over.

Jirachi dries himself off and approaches Mahad. "Do you need something, Mahad?"

"Yes, Jirachi. Could you please deliver this message to King Aknamkanon? It's a letter containing information about our journey so he doesn't have to worry about us."

Jirachi takes the letter and reads the contents. He wonders if the king may ask him questions about things that weren't mentioned in the letter, but he decides to take it to the palace anyway. "I'll make sure he gets this right away. And before you know it, I'll be back in time to join you and the others for dinner." Then he teleports away. At first, he found himself in front of the cavern that led to the village. Then he followed the river back to the city and teleported to the palace courtyard.

Jirachi didn't like doing things for others on his own and would often get nervous, but if it was for the king, he would gather his courage and complete his task. He came to the throne room, got down on the floor, and started kneeling.

King Aknamkanon notices Jirachi and tells him, "Jirachi, welcome home. I trust you and the others are well?"

"We are very well, my king, but our journey has not yet come to an end. I come conveying a message from the children." Jirachi takes the letter and gives it to the king. He reads the letter and is satisfied to know that everyone is safe. He's also impressed with how much everyone has learned on their journey and how they are continuing to help one another. Jirachi speaks up and says, "I'm not sure when we're all going to come home, but we'll keep informing you about what's going on."

The king smiles and pats Jirachi on the head. "Thank you for the message and for letting me know how everyone is doing. Please continue to protect all of them."

Jirachi smiles and gives his promise. "But, Pharaoh, aren't you concerned?"

"I am, but I told my son and his friends that I believe in all of them. If I demand for their immediate return home, I would be going back on my word and they would think I do not believe. I also have faith in the Great Goddess Millennia and they need to know that I do. That is why I am going to let them continue their journey."

"Thank you, my king. And know that I believe in you. That's why I'm going to carry out your wish and protect everybody. And you're right, the Great Goddess will be with us," Jirachi says and returns to the palace courtyard. He soon starts making his way back to the Moogle Village and just as he said, he returns just in time to join everybody for dinner.

After dinner, Kisara sits by the pond and dips her feet in the water. She doesn't even find herself to be as tired as she was yesterday when she summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. She was now becoming used to it actually, which was why she was less exhausted. Other than that, her mind was on the clues she and Freya received from the Mana Dragon; wondering if there was someone that could help them understand their powers. For some reason, the words 'truth' and 'ideals' were familiar to her. Then she remembered discussing to her cousin about a dream she had; a dream where she met another white dragon promising to help Kisara find her truth. Freya had a dream similar to her cousin's. In her dream, she met another black dragon with red eyes promising to help Freya find her ideals.

Mystery sees Kisara sitting by herself and approaches her. "May I sit with you?" Kisara nods and lets Mystery join her. Mystery takes her sandals off and places her feet in the water. "You and Freya were really brave today."

Kisara smiles with modesty. "Thank you, but I still don't think I'm as brave as you or the prince or anyone else."

Mystery shakes her head. "I too, can be a coward sometimes. I barely did a thing to help anybody since our journey began. You, on the other hand, have helped me several times. When I was weak or injured, your light made me strong again; it helped me keep going. Everyone else felt it too."

"I know and I finally figured it out. When I want to help my friends, my light doesn't just protect them from danger; it also gives them a little bit of my strength. That must be why I feel tired sometimes." Kisara faces the water and adds, "You know, Mystery, I've also been thinking, the Mana Dragon said I should listen to the spirit within. Today in the tunnels, when it seemed like I was in a trance as I was guiding you, I heard a voice in my head. I thought it was my White Dragon guiding me."

"That could be," said Mystery. "Sometimes, when I'm confused and don't know what to do, I hear a voice speaking to me as well. I always wonder if it is Millennia guiding me and telling me what to do." It was true. Mystery could also hear Millennia's voice teaching her how to manage her spells. She sighs and tells Kisara, "Sometimes, Kisara, I think you would make a better daughter of Millennia than me."

"What do you mean?"

"Your light is incredibly strong; perhaps stronger than the light in my own soul. And I have been doing so little to live up to Millennia's expectations of me. I haven't even yet learned to master her most powerful light-based spells. I learned some time ago in one of my classes that light magic is based upon love, but I do not seem to understand love at all. My amulet won't even glow."

Kisara moves closer to Mystery and tells her, "Don't say all that about yourself, Mystery. There's never been a better daughter of Millennia than you. You're an inspiration to all of us. And you have a really big heart. I know you like that."

Mystery sighs, still doubting herself. She looks at her amulet and places her hand over her chest. "I still feel like an embarrassment to the Great Goddess. Maybe I'm not her true heiress. But then why would she choose me?"

"Because you're not an embarrassment and you are her true heiress." Kisara keeps quiet for a moment to think about how she can help Mystery understand the magic of her amulet. Remembering that its theme is to promote love, she asks her, "You said you love all of us, right? Just like how you love your mama and papa."

"Of course I do. I think about how much I love all of you when I practice my spells of light. My teacher says it is a good start, but not enough to reach my spell's full potential."

Kisara thinks of another theory. "You're in love with the prince, aren't you?"

"Yes, and I confessed my feelings for him. And when he said he loved me as well, I was so happy and my heart felt like it was being tickled." Mystery faces the water and says, "I wanted him to know how I felt about him. We have been friends ever since we were little and we had lots of fun together. When I saved him from that snake in the courtyard, I knew my feelings for him were true. But now, I-" she interrupts herself and realizes something. "That's it; I've only been considering my own feelings."

"But he loves you too."

"I know, but I just thought of something. When in love, a girl should put the one she loves before herself; be steady and make sacrifices to protect him and make sure he is happy. If I truly love Prince Atem, then I have to consider his own feelings as well. I should want his happiness, but not if it means being with me. I should want him to be happy even if it means being with another girl. I shouldn't want him to love me because I said I loved him. No, if he is happy with the both of us just being friends, then that is enough for me. But I will always be there for him. I want the same for everybody else." Before she can say anything else, her amulet starts glowing. Both of the girls are amazed.

Kisara feels a warmth in her chest. "Mystery, I can feel your love. It's like all the bad things are being driven out and I just feel so happy and warm."

Mystery hears the voice once again._ Mystery, my child, you now know the true meaning of love. Let it surround you as you think about your friends and family, let it fill you up and you will be able to master one of my most powerful spells_. Looking at her hands, Mystery sees a white light around them. She closes her eyes and lets her feeling flow inside of her, making her smile and feel warm. Then she raises her hands and calls out the name of the spell as she hears it. "Lucent Beam!" And a great beam of light shoots into the sky as it brightens the area around the girls. It also catches the attention of the rest of the children.

As they watch the light, they place their hands over their chests. Seto faces Atem and asks him, "Did you feel that just now?"

"Yes, it's so mysterious, yet comforting. Do you feel it also, Joseph?"

"If you mean that warm and cozy feeling in my heart, then yes, I do."

Mana smiles and sighs. "This is the best feeling I've ever had. It's like the feeling I get when I hug my friends."

Mahad does the same thing as he places both hands on his chest. "Mystery must have tapped into her inner strength and is sharing it with all of us."

Seto's eyes widen. "Of course, Mystery is thinking about how much she loves all of us. That's why we can all feel it." He sighs with contentment, as if realizing how much he was loved by her. The others start wondering the same thing and find themselves loving Mystery just as much.

Everything becomes dark again as the light fades away. Mystery sits back down and trembles as she feels happy for herself. "My amulet is glowing and I mastered the greatest spell of light."

Kisara claps her hands and cheers. "You did it, Mystery! I knew you could do it! You see, you really _do_ understand love after all." She truly was proud of her friend and she knew Millennia was also proud of her true heiress. "You really are a true daughter of Millennia."

Mystery faces Kisara with a smile and tears. "Thank you for helping me once again, Kisara."

Tears fill her eyes as well. "Of course. I'll always help you any way I can. We'll always help each other." Then they both wrap their arms around each other and hug. "I love you, Mystery."

"I love you too, Kisara. You have proven to be a true daughter of Millennia as well. My love and your light will always be shared with each other and everyone else."

"In that case," Kisara whispers, and she and Mystery release each other and face each other. "Now that you understand love better now, could you help me?"

"Of course I can. Is there someone you love?"

She slowly nods. "It's Seto. Since we met, I started having feelings for him. And for all the times we spent together, the stronger my love for him grew. I feel happy when I'm with him, I feel scared when he's hurt or in trouble, and I feel lonely when I'm away from him. I never felt that way about anybody else before. I want Seto to know how I feel about him, but I'm afraid to tell him."

It didn't surprise Mystery to hear Kisara say that. She had seen those two spend a lot of time together and would sometimes notice how they looked at each other. She even noticed how worried they were about each other today. Mystery places her hand on Kisara's shoulder and tells her, "I don't think you have anything to fear, Kisara. I know he has feelings for you as well. I have often heard him talk about you."

Kisara's eyes start to brighten up with hope, but she pulls her hand back and looks the other way. She found herself turning into a coward. To think, she was giving the same advice to her little cousin about confessing her feelings to the one she loved. But now, she was the one who needed to gather her courage. She returns her gaze to Mystery and nods. "You're right. And like you said earlier, a girl must put the one she loves before herself. And if Seto would rather just be friends with me-,"

"I heard everything you said," Seto tells her. "We all did." Mystery and Kisara gasp seeing their friends standing behind them. Seto decides to cut to the chase and ask, "Kisara, do you love me?"

Slowly, she nods her head. "I do. I was afraid to tell you because I know you can be serious and mature. But I also know that sometimes, you can be soft and understanding." She looks away and continues, "Also, you're very strong and handsome."

Seto starts snickering, finding her opinions funny. Mahad scowls at him and clears his throat. Seto controls himself and gets down on his knees. "I've always admired that about you, Kisara. You're honest and caring. You can also be strong no matter how frightened you are and you've proven that to me more than once." He sets both hands on her shoulders and adds, "This is who you are; the kind of person people fail to see: innocent, caring, one of us, the kind of person I fell in love with." Seto's amulet starts glowing, but he doesn't care right now. He faces the rest of his friends and explains, "I'm not in love with Kisara for her power. I love Kisara for who she is. And I know all of you love her the same way. Especially you, Freya."

"Of course, I love Kisara. And not just because she's my cousin. Actually, she's more than my cousin; she's my best friend."

Mahad takes a step forward. "My feelings are no different. I may not see what you do in Kisara, Seto, but I care about her very much. I also believe that she should be accepted for who she is no matter how different she seems. After all, she is a part of our family." Everyone else nods in agreement.

Kisara's eyes fill with tears and her amulet starts glowing. "Thank you, all of you." As she stands up, she slips and falls back. Seto takes her hand, but they both fall in the water. They were at the shallow end of the pond, but they still got wet. They were cold, but they laughed about it. Once they stop laughing, they get back on their feet, smile at each other, move closer together, and press their lips together.

Watching the scene, Mystery and Atem smile at each other, feeling happy for their friends. Mana moves closer to Mahad and smiles at him affectionately. Embarrassed, Mahad blushes and looks the other way as he chuckles. Not knowing what they're doing, Joseph and Freya reach for each other's hands. Once they touch, however, they nervously chuckle and pull their hands back.

Seto and Kisara don't care if they're being watched. All that matters to the both of them is the love they have for each other. They finally stop kissing and get out of the water. As they walk to the huts to dry off, Kisara holds Seto's hand. He smiles at her and firmly grasps it as they walk. Freya was happy for her cousin, but had to remind her that she and Seto had to separate in order to change clothes and dry off. It wasn't a big deal for either of them. They were still just kids, after all.

Everyone was ready for bed, but Mystery wasn't feeling tired. She returned to the pond and looked at the moon's reflection. She missed her parents and wanted to see them again. The thought of it bothered her when she and Kisara were discussing the matters of love. She also said she wanted Atem's happiness no matter what that meant. But what could she do to make him happy? Then she remembered. Mystery reached into the pocket of her dress and took out the coloring Atem gave her for her birthday. She opened it, rubbed her finger on it, and rubbed some on her lips. Unable to get a clear vision of herself, she returned to the guest hut. Trying not to wake her friends, she looks through her things. Once she finds what she's looking for, she returns outside. Sitting at the doorway, Mystery lights a candle and looks at a small piece of looking-glass.

Jirachi rubs his eyes. Getting a clear vision of Mystery, he smiles, finding her more beautiful than she already was. Jirachi had always thought Mystery was beautiful, but he had never seen her with coloring before. He thought the pink on her lips was a nice touch.

Standing behind Mystery and seeing her reflection, Atem whispers, "You're beautiful."

Mystery gasps hearing his voice. "My prince, you scared me."

Instead of apologizing, he asks her, "What are you doing out here?"

She stands up and tells him, "I know it's late, but I just can't sleep. I have a lot on my mind."

Atem softly chuckles. "It's natural for you to feel that way after all that you've accomplished in one night. Not to mention what you and Kisara were discussing."

Feeling embarrassed, she asks him, "Did you hear everything from the beginning?"

"If I said I didn't, that would be a lie." It was true. He heard about how Mystery was feeling conflicted about her feelings. "When you were unsure about how you understood love, I knew it wasn't just about getting your amulet to glow. I should know; I was in the same situation as you." He didn't think he knew a thing about courage until he wanted to fight for his friends.

Mystery looks away and says, "At first, I thought I was an embarrassment because I thought I knew everything about myself, when really, I was wrong about some things. I had been in love with you since we were little. Until now, I was only thinking about myself. I know you said you loved me, but I don't want you to just because I said I loved you."

"I don't," interrupted Atem. Before he can explain anything more, he tells her, "And you don't have to say anything else either. What you did for all of us tonight proves you do understand love better than the rest of us." He notices how confused she is and tells her about how he and the rest of their friends felt it in their hearts. "All of us realized how much you truly love each and every one of us." He takes her hand and gets back to the last statement. "I didn't fall in love with you because you were a hero or because you were the true heiress of Millennia. I also know you didn't fall in love with me because I was prince of Egypt. No, you and I fell in love with each other for who we were. And we still love each other for who we are now."

Mystery feels her heart racing once again. "But would you rather just be friends with me and have another girl?"

Atem shakes his head. "I would rather have you as my love. And Mystery, you don't have to wear coloring on your lips if you don't want to, but I really do think it suits you."

"I wanted you to see me like this because I thought it would make you happy. But I actually do like it."

"Would you wear it more often when you become my queen?"

"Of course. And if our firstborn child is a girl, then will you accept that?" Mystery couldn't help but ask because personally, on a selfish note, she hoped that someday, she would have a daughter. It made her happy to hear that one day, Millennia would bless her with one. As much as she wanted to share that with Atem, she had to consider his feelings as well and think about if he would want the same thing.

Atem smiles and places Mystery's hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Awake from hearing the conversation, the rest of the children get out of bed and light up the room to find out what's going on. Mystery and Atem were already talking like a married couple. They even had the right stance. Atem was standing up straight and Mystery had one foot lifted up behind her. Atem is the first to walk back inside. Mystery follows him, but trips at the last step of the stairs. Atem catches her in his arms. They both straighten up and look at each other. They were the same height, so their eyes met perfectly. Smiling and feeling their hearts racing, they close their eyes and kiss. Their amulets start glowing as well. They didn't even care if they were being watched. The others were actually very happy for their two future leaders.

As happy as he was for his friends, Seto couldn't help but joke. "She tripped on purpose, didn't she?"

"True love and child's play come together," Mahad whispers in his ear. They both chuckle.

Mana just sighs of happiness. At the same time, she hoped she would find her true love and he would notice her. At the same time, she wondered if he was closer than she thought.

Freya was having the same thought. Now that Kisara had found her true love, it was her turn to gather her courage and confess her feelings no matter how frightened she seemed. If Kisara could do it, then so could Freya. It was actually something she owed her. Just as Kisara took Freya's advice about sharing their secrets about their Dragons, it was now Freya's turn to take her cousin's advice and tell Joseph her feelings for him.

Finally softening up and truly feeling happy, Seto smiles and sighs. _I'm happy for you, little brother. You and Mystery. I know you'll make each other happy and take care of each other. I've seen everything and I know you two belong together. And you can bet I'll do the same for you. You're my family and it's my duty to take care of you. _Seto was starting to feel like an older brother to the prince. He loved his little brother dearly and would do anything to keep him safe and happy.


	21. Friends Forever

Friends Forever

Another tranquil morning for the Children of Millennia. At the same time, a lazy start. Mahad was the first to wake up and get dressed. Atem and Mystery did the same thing a few minutes later and went outside. Looking down at the floor, Mahad noticed that Joseph was still on the floor snoring. How typical of him. He had even been forced to sleep out of the boy's room because of that. Mahad didn't know how anybody could sleep through that disturbing sound. It kept him and Mana awake for most of the night. Speaking of Mana, where was she? Did she go picking flowers again? Mahad decided to look for her.

Mahad found Mana sitting on the steps of the doorway already dressed. Her hair was still a little messy as she was trying to make herself comfortable last night when she couldn't sleep. She looks up and tells him, "Good morning."

Mahad smiles and chuckles. "I see you're already dressed." Mahad had always been looking after Mana like she was his little sister. He played with her, laughed with her, and comforted her whenever she had nightmares. Sometimes, he found it annoying, but other times, he actually enjoyed it. Mana seemed to love it just as much. She would do anything to make him smile. What she wanted just as much was to make him laugh. That was why she had the amulet of joy; because it made her happy to see other people happy.

Mana takes her comb and gives it to Mahad. "Would you please?" She always loved it when Mahad combed her hair. He smiles and takes it from her. Happy, Mana sits down on his lap and takes her headdress off of her head. She tries to keep still, but feeling the comb through her hair tickles her. Sometimes, whenever Mahad would sit down, Mana would sneak up from behind him and comb his hair. She found it funny because she agreed that having long hair made him look feminine.

As he combs the tangles out of her hair, Mahad asks her, "What would you like to do today, Mana? We can go on another journey and see the rest of the land. Or we could practice magic and show each other what we've learned."

Mana thought it over. The adventures were fun so far. Also, she wanted to go on a journey so she could avoid lessons. Really, all Mana wanted to do was just run around and play. "Actually, I just want to have fun today. Play games, go swimming, dance to music, all of that."

"All right then. Once everybody else wakes up and we've all had our breakfast, we'll just take the day to ourselves. How does that sound?"

Mana stands up and puts her headdress back on. "That sounds great! Let's do it!" Excited, she wraps her arms around Mahad and hugs him. She decides to get breakfast for herself and Ralts. Mahad can't help but shake his head as he watches her run off. He notices that she forgot to put her shoes on also, but doesn't go after her. Instead, he walks over to the pond. He takes some water and splashes it against his face. Looking at Kirara and Sakuya as they drink the water, he pets them.

"Hey, Mahad," said Seto. Mahad turns and sees him behind him. "Sleep well?"

"Barely. Joseph kept me awake half the night." Both boys laugh. "You know, the way things have been these past few days has made me feel more free and alive. I know I'm more of a stay home and read kind of boy, but it's nice to have a sense of adventure."

Seto gets down and washes his face. "I know what you mean. I've felt the same way. I mean, I've always had this freedom before I moved in the palace, but I never had anybody to share it with. Now that I do, it's a lot more fun." He moves closer to Mahad and tells him, "Mahad, I know I haven't been very friendly to you and I always make fun of you, but I am sorry. I guess I just didn't know you well enough yet."

Mahad smiles and accepts his apology. "I'm sorry too. It was mostly my fault we weren't getting along at first because I was always getting in your way."

"No, you were being a friend trying to help me fit in. I didn't see it then. But we understand each other better now and that's what matters. I actually like you better now than I did when we first met."

"Seto, you and I have been helping each other since we met. You helped me to be serious and I helped you by… well, um…"

"By caring for someone else," Seto finishes for him. "You helped me to realize I shouldn't do what's right only for myself, but for those I care about." He places his hand on Mahad's shoulder. "I'm glad you and I are friends, Mahad. And know that I'll always be there for you just as you're always there for me."

Mahad admired that Seto truly did have a sense of loyalty towards not only his superiors, but to the rest of his friends. "And know that I will continue to learn from you just as I always have."

Seto smiles and chuckles. "Come on, Mahad. I know I always acted like I was better than you, but really, you and I are equals. We can learn a lot from each other."

Mahad nods in agreement. "And with your wisdom and my sense of reliability, you can bet that we will be Millennia's finest followers just as Mystery's love and the prince's courage will make them Egypt's greatest leaders."

"And we'll be standing right next to them all the way. Hey, we could even become members of their royal court."

Mahad liked the sound of that. "Together just as it should be." Then he and Seto shake each other's hands and pat each other's backs. "Come on; let's get back to the others." And together they make it to the table for breakfast.

Mana ate everything up quickly, but decided to rest a while. She knew starting playtime right away would give her a stomachache. Kisara and Freya decided to do some chores. They thought about washing their clothes today before going swimming. Everyone had actually brought a second pair of clothes and thought it would be a good idea. Mystery even brought some extra dresses the girls could borrow. The boys took their time eating and returned to their room to change clothes so the things they were already wearing could be washed.

Everyone seemed to want to have fun today. They thought it would be a well-deserved treat they had earned themselves for their progress. So the girls finished washing and hung everyone's clothes up to dry. Joseph now knew how to swim, but he felt more content just sitting by the water and watching the others play. Seeing Mana's amulet glow as she was playing in the water with Kisara and Freya and squealing with joy, Joseph looked down at his own amulet; realizing it was the only one left that hadn't glowed yet.

Mahad removes his shoes and walks closer to Joseph. "Don't let it get to you, Joseph," he tells him as he sits down and soaks his feet. "Your amulet will glow soon enough."

Joseph just sighs. "When we first discussed it after I got it, I believed everything you told me. But now, I can't help wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I know I haven't done anything to help anybody since our journey began. In fact, I've been nothing but a reckless coward and a carefree jester."

"That is not true, Joseph. You have been a good friend and there's never been anyone as kind and as loyal as you."

He smiles and says, "I appreciate that, Mahad. But I wish I could be as brave and strong as you and the others. I'm not even a magician and I don't have a guardian beast yet." Joseph had not yet found the creature of his soul because he had not yet begun to understand his own power. He faces Mahad and tells him, "I actually kind of envy you, Mahad. You're more loyal and devoted."

Mahad chuckles and shakes his head. "Me? Devotion and servitude are both something else." He places his hand on Joseph's shoulder and explains, "But loyalty and kindness are the true signs of friendship. Our gifts may seem similar, but they can be different."

"We're still doing it for those we care about."

"True, but you'll understand what I mean. You already know what it means to be a friend. But don't just show it to someone you care about; show it to someone who needs it. You did that for Seto many times before no matter how often you had been pushed away or mistreated."

Listening to Mahad's advice made Joseph start to think about Luna. Was she deserving of his kindness after the way he mistreated her? If he could become Seto's friend, then perhaps, with a little luck, he could become her friend. He had nothing to lose. But first, he would have to find her. Joseph smiles and shakes Mahad's hand. "Thanks, Mahad. You're a true friend."

"And so are you," he told him. Then he and Joseph are both pushed into the water. Luckily for them, they only had their lower bodies covered. They shake their heads to get the water off.

Seto laughs hysterically and tells them, "See? I know how to have fun." Although Seto didn't have a sense of humor like Joseph's or Mana's, he still found ways to amuse himself.

Joseph growls and tells him, "That's not funny, Set." He and Mahad still agreed about not taking kindly to Seto's ill humor, but didn't care. This was who he was, whether they liked it or not.

Seto tries to relax and stop laughing. "I'm sorry, guys. I couldn't resist."

Looking at Seto's feet, Mahad and Joseph smile and nod at each other. "Don't worry, Seto. You're still our friend. And we know how to have fun too." Then they grab him by the ankles and pull him in the water.

Seto isn't bothered by the cold water. He growls at first, but starts laughing. "All right, you got me." Then all three of them start splashing each other. Joseph and Seto jump on each other several times. Seeing that it's all a game, Mahad wants to join in the fun. They all laugh as they play like brothers.

The three of them get to the shallow end of the pond and sit on the grass. As Joseph stops laughing, he sighs and tells his friends, "I love you guys. You're like the brothers I never had."

"I couldn't have said better myself," Mahad says as he squeezes the water out of his hair.

"I love you guys too," said Seto. "And the rest of our friends. We really are a family." Then the three of them start hugging. To think that these friends would get on each other's nerves and have their disagreements, they would never let their differences get in their way. They truly were best friends.

Mahad, Seto, and Joseph get out of the water and dry off. The clothes they gave the girls to wash were still wet. So to pass the time, they each took their instruments and started playing music. Mana, Freya, and Kisara get out of the pond and dry off once they hear the boys play music. Soon, everyone starts singing and dancing. Even Atem and Mystery, who had returned from their walk in the forest decided to join in the fun. The Moogles were fascinated by the sound as well and also began dancing.

When everyone finished dancing, the Children of Millennia decided to come together and hold hands and have their monsters stand at their feet. Kisara takes the first step and takes Seto's hand. As Bagon and Kirara stand at their feet, Atem holds hands with Seto and Mystery. Mana takes Mystery's hand and uses her other one to hold Mahad's. Joseph gets between Mahad and Freya and takes both of their hands. Jirachi sits on Mystery's shoulder while Riolu, Ralts, Kirlia, Sakuya, and Trapinch sit at the feet of their human companions.

It really was a festive day for everybody. As fun as it was and as much as everybody wished they could do this all the time, they knew it would be time for everybody to go home. They also knew it would be best to make it home before dinner, so they decided to pack up and thank the Moogles for having them in their village. They even returned the weapons they took to the Goblins in the tunnels.

It was still the afternoon and the children were in no hurry to return to the palace, so they decided to walk along the river after getting out of the tunnel. As they were walking, a familiar figure was in sight. Mystery walks closer; thinking she may know who it is.

Her assumption was right. It was Luna. "Luna!" she calls out as she approaches her. Jirachi holds on to her hair as she runs. Mystery stops a few steps apart from her. "Luna, hello!" she says, happy to see her.

Luna finally gives Mystery her attention and asks, "What do _you_ want?"

Seeing that she still had a bitter attitude towards her, Mystery calms down. "I am just happy to see you are all right. You disappeared last month and we all thought you were dead."

Luna wanted everyone to assume that so they would stop looking for her and finally leave her alone. She knew that if she revealed that to Mystery, however, she would try to reason with her. So she explained, "I heard a village was destroyed and I assumed it was mine. So I left to find out for myself."

"And did you get a chance to see your village?"

"I did, but let's just say it didn't turn out to be everything I had hoped." Luna didn't want to explain how she found out that her village had been destroyed. She certainly didn't want to mention Bakura either.

The rest of the children catch up to Mystery and are just as surprised to find out that the girl she had been talking to was Luna. Mana gasps and hides behind Mahad's legs. She had always been afraid of Luna. Joseph recognizes her and cries, "You!"

Luna looks at him and negatively tells him, "I see you're still standing."

"And I can swim now too, thanks to my friends."

Mahad holds Joseph's arm and tells him, "Take it easy. Luna may not be one of the friendliest girls in the desert, but she's not the kind of person you want to provoke either."

Luna turns her attention to Freya, sensing a dark power within her. But this couldn't be another one of her kind. She doesn't want to find out yet, so she refocuses her attention on Mystery. "I've been thinking about what you said when we last saw each other. That you would do anything to help anyone you cared about if they were in trouble. I said I didn't understand because I didn't want friends. I'm sorry I pushed you away when you only wanted to be my friend."

Mystery was happy to hear Luna apologize, but she knew she had to do the same thing before she could forgive her. "I am also sorry for bothering you when you wanted to be alone."

Luna smiles at Mystery; showing a small sign of appreciation. "I thought I wanted to be alone. Now after being alone for weeks, I realize that's not what I want at all."

Seeing a change in Luna's expression and recalling all that he had been taught, Joseph eases his grip and approaches her. "I have something to say to you as well." Luna's anger returns, but quickly disappears once she hears Joseph apologize. "I didn't realize I was bothering you. I just wanted to be your friend." Before Luna can say anything, Joseph holds up his hand to stop her. "I'm not done yet. I think I know what you're about to say too. But it's not necessary. I thought about it even further, and I need to thank you. If you hadn't pushed me in the river, I would never have met Mystery. After that, I made so many new friends as well. And I owe it all to you. You're the reason I have so many wonderful friends and have changed."

Luna wanted to argue and say she had nothing to do with any of that, but she had to admit he was right. At the same time, no one had ever spoken to her like that before. It actually sounded good to hear that. "Do you really mean that?"

Joseph nods. "I know you don't want friends, so I'll respect your wish and leave you alone, but only if that's what you really want. I could argue otherwise and say you may not want friends, but the truth is you need friends. But that wouldn't make things easier. So what do you say?" He was taking Mahad's advice about being a friend to the one who needed his friendship. He wanted to be a friend to her because Luna needed it.

Luna felt like Joseph was reading her mind and knew exactly what she was feeling as well. Again, he was right. But she wasn't sure if she could trust any of them. It didn't do her much good at the palace when she put her trust in the people who raised her. But if these people really were different than they were before, then she figured she could take a chance. She looks at Joseph's hand for a second, then slowly moves her hand closer to his. "Thank you."

When they shake hands, Joseph's amulet starts glowing. It was something he had been waiting for, but it no longer mattered to him. What we was most proud of was being a friend to someone he knew who needed his friendship, but didn't want it.

Mana comes out of hiding and says, "Well, a handshake is always a good start to becoming friends."

"Luna seems to have become a completely different person since we last saw her," whispered Atem. "Perhaps leaving the palace was good for her."

Hearing that, Mystery asks, "Luna, I know you don't have much, but why don't you come back to the palace with us?"

She shakes her head. "I can't go back there. The pharaoh will have my head. Besides, I really don't belong there."

"Then what will you do?"

"What I always do: survive." It was a fact about Luna. She would go through great lengths to make herself stronger and keep herself safe even if it meant stealing and attacking. Besides, she had a new home and wouldn't be alone. She didn't want to mention that, however. But she made it clear she could take care of herself. Luna smiles and tells them, "But I say we put what's past behind us and move ahead. I have nothing against any of you and I hope none of you still feel badly about me."

"We could start over and be friends," suggested Mystery.

"I'll need a little time to myself to consider that. But I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Mystery was happy that Luna was finally starting to open her heart. "Until then, take care."

"I will. But please don't tell the king you saw me today. I really can't imagine going back."

Mystery understood Luna's wish after thinking about all the pain she had gone through, so she told her she promised to keep quiet. Joseph felt the same way. Besides, he wanted Luna to trust him, so he made her the same promise. The rest of the children gave their word as well. After that, Luna headed to the outskirts and everyone else returned on their path to the palace.

On their way, Mahad and Seto noticed that Freya had been looking upset since they met Luna. They wondered if it had anything to do with Joseph because he revealed that he liked girls with black hair. They also knew that Freya had feelings for him.

Behind their friends, they whisper to each other. Mahad speaks first and asks Seto, "Does Freya think that Joseph likes Luna?"

Seto moves closer to him and answers, "I don't think so. You saw how he acted when he first saw her. He almost lost it. But you told him everything about that girl, which made him feel sorry for her. I'm sure that's why he wanted to be her friend."

"I'm sure that's all he wanted too, but I don't think Freya agrees. She really loves him and wants him to know that, but she's afraid."

Seto knew what Mahad was talking about. They both had learned from Kisara that Freya had attracted many young boys who pretended to like her. Freya had been careful about trusting boys since then. That trust grew when she made so many friends, but now she was in love with someone who was honest about his feelings. Seto speaks up and says, "If Freya thinks Joseph likes Luna instead of her, she'll be heartbroken and Kisara won't ever forgive him for hurting her."

Kisara heard her name and turned back. "Did one of you say my name?"

Neither Mahad or Seto wanted to share what they had discussed together. Seto also knew Mahad wasn't one to tell a lie, so he decided to tell Kisara, "Mahad just said to me that he was happy for me and you. You know, about being in love."

Convinced, Kisara smiles and thanks Mahad. Then she walks closer to Freya and asks her if she's all right. Freya shakes her head and tells Kisara she doesn't want to talk about it. Apparently, she was right in front of Mahad and Seto and could hear what they were saying.

The boys decide to stop whispering and talk about the new subject. "Thank you for saying that. And I really am happy for you and Kisara."

Seto smiles and thanks him for that. "You're a nice guy, Mahad. And someday, you'll find a girl."

Mahad chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't know about that."

Seto's grin changes into a sneaky one. He starts teasing Mahad and asks him, "You already have, haven't you? Is it Mana?"

"Seto, please."

"I knew it. I saw you two this morning. It's always like that whenever you're together."

"We're friends, Seto. Besides, I'm much older than her."

Seto continues to tease Mahad about liking Mana. He skips on the path chanting the same phrase. Mahad chases him and tries to stop him. Watching, Mana wants to teach Seto a lesson about making fun of their friend, but she can't help but laugh every time she hears Seto say Mahad loves her. But she wonders if it's the same love Seto has for Kisara or the love Atem and Mystery have for each other. Still, she sticks out a foot and trips Seto. She takes the neckpiece of his shirt and says, "Stop making fun of him! Leave him alone, Seto!"

He gets on his knees and apologizes. "All right, all right, I was just teasing. I didn't mean any harm."

Mana lets him go and whispers in his ear, "But do you really think Mahad loves me?"

He moves closer to her and whispers back, "I've seen you two together and I know he does." Hearing that, Mana's smile brightens up and her eyes shine with happiness.

Kisara shakes her head. "Mana's right, Seto. You shouldn't tease Mahad all the time."

"All right, maybe I got a little carried away." He walks back to Mahad and apologizes.

Mahad was used to being teased, but he didn't like it whenever Seto teased him about something personal like having feelings for Mana. He really did despite being five years older than her. He still sighs and forgives Seto. "Just don't do that again. You were just as embarrassing as Joseph." He moves closer and whispers, "Don't tell him I said that."

Seto winks to promise he would keep quiet. After everything is settled, they look and see that they're back in the city. Everyone cheers, happy to be back in human civilization, and race to the palace.


	22. Luna: Friend or Foe?

Luna: Friend or Foe?

Luna returned to the ruins of Kul Elna, where Bakura and his monsters were waiting. She walked inside the house she met Bakura and sat down. The dogs walked up to her and sat at her feet. Luna picked up the little black fox, Zorua, and began petting it. Bakura greets her and asks, "Did you have a good time while you were out?"

"I like going to the river," she tells him. "It helps me to take my mind off of things." Luna told Bakura she would be going to the river often to relax herself. He understood and would tell her to be careful. "While I was there, I ran into a couple of familiar faces. Just some children from the palace."

Bakura's eyes widen. "Children from the palace? If they know you're alive and are wandering the desert-,"

"They won't take me back. They promised they wouldn't tell the king they found me."

"How can you trust them?"

Luna tells Bakura to calm down and reminds him, "I grew up with some of them. As much as I don't really like them, they are children of their word." She had to say that after the way they had all treated her. As much as she didn't want to say it in front of Bakura, she had to admit to herself that she had changed a little since she last saw any of them.

Bakura poured himself a cup of water. "Well, if you're so sure and for them to treat you so kindly, they must really want you to be their friend."

"I know. Mystery was like that every time we met." Seeing that Bakura was confused, Luna reminded him that he was talking about the hero of the desert. What he didn't realize was that she was also the heiress of the Great Goddess. When she mentioned that detail, Bakura's eyes widened and he spat out the water he was drinking from his cup.

Bakura stops coughing and clears his throat. "She's the heiress of Millennia? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"You mean it never occurred to you?" Luna asked. She had been living with Bakura for several weeks, but didn't like to talk about Mystery or the others. That was why she never mentioned it until now. Besides, Luna also remembered that Bakura didn't want to have anything part in starting the Battle of the Gods again. He had his own ideals to think about.

A new idea came into Bakura's mind. Perhaps he could use Luna to gather information on Mystery and her friends. "Well, Luna, since you clearly know a lot about Millennia and her family, perhaps you could do something for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if there should ever come a time when Mystery and I meet, I want to be prepared. I know I said I don't want to get myself involved, but I still despise Millennia and her followers for what they did to me all those years ago. I'm sure you do too."

"I do, but-"

"Until then, I can't let Mystery know I'm the true heir of the Dark Lord. On top of that, I have to keep the Cobalt Star safe." That would be easier said than done, however. Light and darkness were natural opposites, but were also exact equals. Deities like that could sense each other's presence. With the Millennium Star in her heart, Mystery could sense the Cobalt Star if it was nearby. Bakura continues on and says, "So I'm going to need you to gather information about Mystery and her friends on my behalf. That way, I'll be prepared for when we meet."

"But why me?" Luna actually did know why, but she didn't really have anything against Mystery and the others for anything personal. A lot of them did bother her, but none of them actually did anything to hurt her. It was like a battle was raging inside of her, telling her to make a choice; prove loyalty to the Dark Lord or protect the children of his rival.

"Why you?" repeated Bakura. "Well, they trust you, they like you-," he interrupts himself and smiles. "Ah, or perhaps you like them."

Luna's eyes widen. "What? No, of course not."

Bakura could see that Luna was a terrible liar. She had been raised by Millennia's followers, so it was reasonable for her to want to defend Mystery and her friends. But he continued deciding to take advantage of the matter. "Then it's settled. Keep pretending to be Mystery's friend. And in the end, that will lead to her demise."

Luna faces the ground and keeps quiet. She was confused. Was hurting Mystery something Luna really wanted? She didn't want to accept her kindness, but that didn't mean she wanted to hurt her. She told Bakura she would do it anyway. Bakura pats her back and tells her she made the right choice. Luna walks out of the house and decides she needs a little more time to herself. That would be all right for Bakura since he would be making dinner in the next few hours.

Survival was Luna's first and only priority. Getting into trouble was just a game to her because she would make herself stronger and wiser. She would fight off anybody who got in her way and tried to stop her, but never kill. Theft wasn't a game either. She needed to eat and keep clothes on her back. The only time she stole goods like riches was when she needed something to exchange for essentials. Sometimes she would do it for fun.

That was what she was doing when she wandered the outskirts. She was sneaking around looking for some valuables she might like. Bakura would often raid the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but Luna didn't think she was ready to face traps and enchantments. So for now, she would test herself in other parts of the outskirts. There were some places overrun with criminals and murderers. Luna had often taken some weapons back with her to Kul Elna so she and Bakura would be able to defend themselves. After all, neither of them were magicians.

Luna saw some bandits were gathering around bragging about what they had taken. In their hands were piles of gold, silver, jewelry, and other riches. Luna didn't care much about gold, but she liked silver. Some of the jewelry looked pretty too. How she was going to get some of those goods was the main question. But Luna was very cunning and knew that all she had to do was improvise. When she saw the head bandit return and tell her comrades to load up their carriage, that was Luna's moment. She waited until the carriage had been loaded up and climbed inside. She snickered and thought to herself, _You'd think bandits would be careful enough to guard their valuables_, as she started packing up some of the goods in a sack. She had to be quick, though. She didn't know where the carriage was going and would have to find her way back to Kul Elna. She would also have to get out of the carriage without being caught.

Luna carried a sack of treasure in each hand and opened the doors. The carriage was still moving and the bandits were on the horses pulling it. That was a good sign. It meant they wouldn't notice Luna escape. She jumped out of the carriage and started heading back to Kul Elna.

When she returned, she showed Bakura what she brought home. He was impressed to hear how she pulled it off and looked through the goods with her. The coins could be used to buy food and clothes for themselves. They jewelry, they could keep as their spoils. The necklaces were nice and there were gold bands they could wear around their legs and wrists. Bakura got up to fill their bowls with dinner and told Luna to join him. Before Luna got up, two rings caught her attention. One was gold with a light blue crystal in the middle and the other was silver with a dark blue crystal. She put them in the little sack she kept to her side and filled her dinner bowl. Before sitting down at the table, Bakura gave the dogs their dinner bowls and Luna gave Darkrai and Zorua their dinner. The monsters had dried meat with bread crusts while Bakura and Max had their meat with grain and vegetables.

"I've thought it over while I was out," Luna told Bakura. "Before I came home, I told Mystery and her friends I would like to be their friend. That will help me get all the information you need."

"Good," Bakura says after taking a bite of his grain. "You also mentioned that some of them are from the palace and you knew them. Are any of them of royal blood?" He had to ask because he remembered that the man who led the attack on the village was a member of the royal family.

"There's only one that I know of; the pharaoh's son."

Bakura grins hearing that. He would take his revenge on the royal family and attack Mystery at the same time. But he would have to wait a little while. Whatever information Luna would bring him would help him decide whether or not to accept his destiny as heir of Cobalt. "That will do for now. But still, find out everything you can about them when you see them again."

Luna didn't know when she would meet them again, so until that time would come, she decided to share with Bakura all that she knew so far.

Kisara and Freya decided to stay in the palace for dinner. It would actually be their first meal in the palace because they never really joined their friends for a meal every time they visited. As they ate, the children talked about their adventures and what they had learned in the past few days. As promised, they didn't mention meeting Luna on the way home. They children all agreed that taking their first journey together helped them to learn and grow a little bit. But as fun as it was, those who lived in the palace had to return to their lessons and chores.

After dinner, the girls decided to spend the night at the palace with their friends. They even had a guest room prepared for them on the second floor. Kisara and Freya had been inside the palace, but never actually stayed. They were inside whenever they played hide-and-seek with their friends and would sometimes hide in pots the same way Mana always would.

Everyone decided to get back to their usual routines starting tomorrow. No more adventures for a while. Kisara and Freya were content with that and decided to take some time to themselves for a few days before getting back together. Freya was actually still a little upset about what happened and needed to be away for a while. Kisara didn't want to leave her little cousin alone and said she would look after her until she was feeling better.


	23. Happy Birthday, Atem!

Happy Birthday, Atem!

With spring coming to an end and summer on its way, schooling was starting to take its toll on some of the children. Final exams were coming up for the magicians to determine whether they would be ready to move up a rank; which would mean more challenging courses. Ordinary exams had to be studied for as well. Seto was confident he would pass his tests, but he also took time to help Mahad, Joseph, Mana, Atem, and Mystery with their lessons. Many of the royal courtiers believed that the children would be ready to become Egypt's new leaders and new court members in just a few short years. But how well they would do on their exams would determine that matter.

Atem's twelfth birthday was also coming up and he hoped it would be celebrated one everyone finished their exams. At the same time, all his friends started worrying about what kind of presents he would want. Any member of the royal family could get anything they wished for and the children knew their gifts would have to be special. Joseph was worried because he sent most of his well-earned money to his parents and couldn't afford anything fancy. Mystery wasn't sure if she should make something or buy a gift. She wouldn't learn how to make anything with magic until she started her next courses and she wanted her gift to be exceptionally special for the one she loved. Kisara and Freya had little money and couldn't get much for themselves, let alone a friend. Mana, Mahad, and Seto knew the prince very well and were certain what to give him.

Everyone gathered in the palace courtyard and began to talk about the matter. Before they could, however, Kisara and Freya wanted to know how things were going.

"Our final exams are next week," Mana told them. "We've got to study really hard. After that, we get to celebrate the prince's birthday. Will you girls come?"

They were both feeing unsure. "I don't know," said Kisara. "We don't have any nice clothes to wear. Other than that, we wouldn't be able to give him any presents."

Mahad smiles and tells them, "I'm sure we could find something appropriate for you to wear. And I know you girls don't have much, but I'm certain the prince will appreciate what you can give. He always does."

"We know a lot of people are going to give him toys, books, clothes, jewelry, and other things, but Mahad and I already have an idea," said Seto. "We want it to be a surprise though."

Freya looks around and says, "I don't see the prince anywhere. Maybe you could tell us?"

Mahad and Seto remembered that Atem was in the middle of his lessons, so it was safe to share their idea. "We took Mystery's advice about wanting to give the prince something special; a gift from the heart. We decided to put our talents together," Seto told them.

"A concert?" Kisara guessed.

"A magic show?" Freya assumed.

They said 'yes' to Kisara's guess and 'no' to Freya's. "Joseph and Mana are going to play music with us as well," said Mahad. "Mystery is going to sing while we play. Why don't you girls join her?"

The thought of it started to make the girls feel nervous. They were perfectly comfortable about singing and dancing with their friends, but they had never performed for a lot of people before. They were also worried that if they got nervous, their Dragons would break loose and they couldn't bear to let that happen.

Mystery speaks up and tells them, "We won't force you to do it if you don't want to."

"But we want to," Freya suddenly said. "We want to show the prince how much we love him."

Everyone smiles hearing that. Mahad tells them, "All right, but I'm sure he'll appreciate you no matter what. If you really want to join us, then we are happy to hear that."

Joseph stands up and says, "We've got until the end of next week, so why don't we practice?"

"I think we should write the song we want to sing first," suggested Seto. "Something that shows the prince how grateful we are to him and what a great leader he'll be. We should also mention how greatly he's influenced us; that we wouldn't be the Children of Millennia without him."

"Mystery's done that too," metioned Mana. "If we're going to talk about all that, we should make her part of the song."

Mystery shakes her head. "Thank you, Mana, but I really think this song should be about our prince. Meanwhile, Kisara, Freya, please come with me." The girls get up and follow her inside. She takes them to her room and pulls out some of her dresses. Mystery was much shorter than the cousins, but she thought she could find something that would fit them. Mystery loved wearing white dresses also, but she was certain she had clothes of different colors.

Kisara and Freya look at the dresses and start trying some of them on. Mana followed them and suggested that if they would be dancing, they should have the clothes of dancer girls. The boys would be dressed more formally too. While Kisara and Freya try on the dresses, Mystery asks Mana to come back with some more clothes. Mana was much smaller than her friends and knew none of her clothes would fit them, but she knew where she could find something that would fit Kisara and Freya.

Mana returned with a colorful pile of clothes. She set them on Mystery's bed, but took a pink dress from the pile. It was her own and she wanted to wear it because it matched her amulet. Kisara found a light blue dress and decided to try it on. She showed it to her friends and they all thought she looked gorgeous. It didn't match her eyes, but it matched her amulet. The bottom part was very spacy and showed her legs, but she didn't mind as long as it didn't show the rest of her lower body. Freya found bright red dancer clothes. Specifically, it was a pair of pants and the top covered her breasts and her arms would be visible through the sleeves. The cousins loved the clothes so much that they were told they could keep them.

After admiring their new clothes, the girls decided to add some new decorations. Freya put her hair up behind her with a gold band and covered her face with a veil while Kisara wore a gold chain on her head.

"You girls look beautiful," Mystery said sincerely.

"Not as beautiful as you, Mystery," Freya admitted. "No matter what you wear, you always look divine. No girl could ever compete with you."

"What are you going to wear for the prince's birthday?"

Mystery wanted to wear one of her white dresses, but she knew that none of them would be fit for dancing. So she decided she would fix up one of them. She would have to go home for that though. Her mother knew how to sew. Mystery was certain she would find something wonderful to wear. For now, she decided to return to the boys, who were waiting for them.

While waiting for the girls, Seto, Mahad, and Joseph were looking though some scrolls and books to study for their exams. When they saw the girls come back, Seto and Joseph were amazed. They though Kisara and Freya looked beautiful like goddesses. Mahad told Mana that she looked like a little angel. The girls smile and blush as they hear their compliments. Mana comes to her senses and clears her throat. "Should we start practicing now?"

"I don't think the palace courtyard is the best place to practice," said Seto. "Besides, we've got to get back to our studies soon. We should probably take this time to write our song." Everyone else agrees and starts thinking. Joseph pats his drum to give him some thought and Seto and Mana pluck the strings on their instruments to come up with some ideas.

Working on the song was hard. Coordination was also quite difficult. But as the days passed, everyone got their words and positions memorized. The children also managed to balance the time between practicing and studying. The concert got in Joseph's way a lot that he didn't do too well on his exams even with all the extra help. He didn't fail, but he didn't exactly show promising standards. Mahad and Seto both did equally well and ended up with scores higher than their fellow classmates. Mana and Mystery both excelled their beginner ranks and were now able to move up to intermediate courses. Atem had no time for play and was carefully tutored, thus earning him passing scores.

With everyone's exams out of the way, Atem's birthday could finally be celebrated as promised. He even had a schedule planned out for him; when he would have his meals, when they royals would be expecting him, and when his party would take place. It wouldn't bother him though. He knew he would have fun today. He only hoped all of his friends would be able to have just as much fun as he would.

The rest of the Children of Millennia got together in one of the empty rooms. The main hall was loaded with guards and the palace courtyard was filled with guests. It was like the whole kingdom was invited to the palace to shower their prince with gifts and spoils. The girls wore their performing attire and the boys wore clothes the same colors as their amulets.

"This is it, guys," Mana told them, "Our big show is tonight."

Kisara and Freya were feeling weak in their knees. "I hope we're not overdressed," Freya whimpered. "And I hope the prince likes our show."

"I am sure he will," said Mystery. "This is a gift from all of his friends."

Seto seemed to be the only one feeling the most confident. "I'm not too worried. This will be a breeze like our exams. I thought they would be challenging, but I found them to be fun."

Joseph groans hearing him say that. Just thinking about his progress on his exams was enough to give him a headache. He wouldn't even get points for enthusiasm. "We can't all be like you, Seto." Even though Joseph had learned to be more serious and responsible, he still loved having fun and being able to take it easy.

As time passed, Atem was presented with all sorts of gifts. Just like Seto said, he got plenty of new clothes, fine jewelry, toys, books, and other things. He was really hoping his friends would be able to join them. He had been wondering where they had been all day and why he hadn't been able to see any of them. Finally, an announcement was made saying that a special performance would be made in the prince's honor. That was everybody's cue. They took their positions in the throne room. Mana got between Kisara and Freya and the boys stood behind them with their instruments in hand. Mystery walked forward and started clapping her hands. The girls clapped as well and they all began singing.

The cousins were the first to sing. _Hey, hey, everybody, we've got something to say._

_We may seem different as the night is from day._

_But you'll look a little deeper, and you will see_, Mana was singing as she took the girl's hands, _that I'm just like you and you're just like me._

After the boys play the last notes, they drop their instruments and join in. Other musicians start playing music to the song as they sing. _Hey, hey, everybody, we're here to shout that the magic of family is what it's all about. Yeah, we thought we were different as the night is from the day, until Prince Atem helped us see another way._

Together, the boys and girls dance and sing the chorus. _So get up, get down, if you're gonna come around, we can work together and help our prince to earn the crown. So get up, get down, 'cause it's gonna make a sound if we work together to help Prince Atem to earn the crown._

Joseph steps forward and sings his part. _Hey, hey, hands up now. We're sending a message to the crowd._

Mana joins in and she and Joseph dance as she sings, _Hands wave up, then come down. The party can gather all around._

Mahad sings his friend's personal traits. _Wisdom, light, hope, love, loyalty_

Seto finishes with, _Joy, reliability_

No longer feeling nervous, but happy, Kisara sings her part. _Prince Atem helped us each to see_

Freya finishes with, _All that we can be_

As the children dance and repeat the chorus, Atem can't help but love the song. They were all talking about their friendship and that he really was the leader that kept it together. Even the rest of the royals and guests find themselves moving to the music. Wanting to take part, Atem gets in front of his friends and sings, _I'm going to be myself no matter what I do. And if we're different, then I want you to be true to you._

As he takes Mystery's hand, she and Atem sing together, _If you follow us, we'll put our differences aside. We'll stand together and start working on our royal pride._

The children start singing the second chorus. Even Atem joins in. As they all sing, everyone's amulets start glowing and a rainbow forms above them. The monsters start leaping and prancing around to the music. Some of them even do flips in the air. _Jump up, make a sound. Stomp your feet, turn around. Start now, make a change. Gonna come around. Jump up, make a sound. Stomp your feet, turn around. Children of Millennia, help him earn the crown._

The chorus fades and the entire audience cheers for the performance. Royalty, nobility, peasantry, they all loved it. The heard the messages in the song as well and had every confidence that their prince would one day grow up to be a great king.

Atem starts crying of happiness. He dries his eyes before tears start falling from them and thanks his friends. "Thank you all. This is the best gift anyone has ever given me. And the best part is it came from all of you and I even got to share it. You truly are the best friends I ever had."

Mana dries her eyes and returns the compliment. "You're my best friend too. I'm glad you loved our show."

"You girls all look beautiful. I don't think Millennia could have asked for better daughters." Atem turns to the boys and tells them, "And you all may play wonderful music, but I like it better when you sing and dance like that."

Tears fill their eyes and they start crying of happiness as well. "We couldn't ask for a better prince or a better friend," said Seto. No longer wanting to contain his emotions, he wraps his arms around his best friend and hugs him. "I love you, little brother. Happy birthday." The others hug Atem and tell him the same thing.

"I love you guys too," Atem sobs, "All of you. I couldn't have asked for better friends or a better family."

Delighted with everyone for what they did for his son, the pharaoh knew that one day Atem would be the greatest king Egypt ever had and his friends would be right there beside him as his new royal court. He also had every confidence that Mystery would make a worthy queen. There was no doubt that the Children of Millennia would fulfill the Great Goddess' wishes and make their country the best that the world would ever know. He stands up and thanks the children for their performance and making it the best gift for his son. Afterwards, a feast is brought out for everyone to eat and drink to their heart's content. Joseph nearly got a stomachache because he was eating too much and food got stuck in his throat because he was eating too fast, but he quickly recovered. Kisara and Freya had never felt so happy to be with their friends on such a wonderful day. They weren't even judged or attacked because of their differences. The beginning of the song they sang must have made everyone feel differently and accept them the way they were. Mana and Mahad sat together as they ate. Mahad couldn't help but laugh whenever he saw Mana's face get dirty with food. He would even take his handkerchief and wipe her face. Mystery sat next to Atem and kissed him as she wished him a happy birthday.


	24. Joseph's Brave Confession of Love

Joseph's Brave Confession of Love

After the celebration of the prince's birthday, everyone was able to return to their usual routines. The magicians started training in their new courses and learned new spells and enchantments. Seto, as studious as ever, got some books and started reading for fun once again. Joseph's teacher was disappointed with his exam scores and suggested he spent less time working and playing and more time learning. Joseph was just as disappointed, but he didn't mind the physical work. His head always seemed to need more time to relax. He was actually a fast learner when it came to things he couldn't learn in a book. To make up for his progress, he was given the rest of the week under private instruction. He wouldn't be able to spend time with his friends or attend to his duties.

Joseph liked working in the kitchen. Although he would get into trouble for sneaking a few bites, he would sometimes help with the meals and find ways to make the food more tasteful. He also helped the handmaids with the washing sometimes when one of them was unable to work. He even knew how to feed the royal beasts and keep them clean without injuring himself. He didn't know how to check the status of their health however. For fun, Joseph didn't just play with his friends or make music. He would sometimes climb the trees in the courtyard or train his Trapinch for combat. And whenever he was finished with any sort of work, he would head out to pay his parents a visit and see how they were doing.

For three days now, Joseph's progress seemed to improve thanks to private instructing of his master, but he wasn't ready for another chance to make up his work. Shimon noticed how distressed he looked and asked him, "Are you all right, my boy? You seem a little troubled."

Joseph sighs and apologizes. "Forgive me, Master. I'm just not really in the mood to study."

Shimon sighs and says, "Joseph, I know you miss having fun with your friends, but you need to make up for your efforts. I know you've been trying your best also, and for that, I'm proud of you. You certainly have come a long way since you first started training under me."

"Thank you, Master."

"Now tell me, what's on your mind?"

At first, Joseph was embarrassed to tell his master, but Shimon promised Joseph that he could tell him anything. To start, he asks, "Master Shimon, have you ever been in love?"

"In love?" Shimon echoed. "Is that what this is about? Is it one of the girls you're always spending time with?"

Joseph nods. He and Freya had been friends for almost a full season now, and he still couldn't get the courage to tell her that he loved her. Other than that, she had been avoiding him because she thought he liked Luna. Joseph learned that from Kisara and was afraid Freya thought he would break her heart. Joseph tried explaining things to Freya, but she never stopped to listen to him. When he said he wanted to talk, he would end up babbling or keep silent; forcing Freya to leave.

After explaining that to his master, Joseph sighs and confesses, "I'm such a lunatic. A coward too. She'll never know how I truly feel if I keep making a fool of myself."

"Joseph, it seems to me that your friend is confused and afraid. And so are you. If you want her to know how you feel, you should confess your flaws so she'll know what kind of person you are. Have courage, my boy."

_He's right_, Joseph thought to himself, _I should have courage. I need to let Freya know how much I love her. But how can I? How did Seto and the prince make it look so easy when they told Kisara and Mystery they loved them?_ Then he remembered that it was because the girls made the first move. This would be different because he would be making the first move.

Shimon takes the books and says, "I'll tell you what, I'll dismiss you for the day and show the king your progress so far. You have been showing some improvement lately. That should give you time to think things through. When you're ready, tell her straight out. I heard that's what Seto did when he confessed his love."

Watching his master walk away made Joseph remember that did happen when Seto told Kisara he loved her. But how could Joseph do the same thing? He couldn't seek advice from Mahad either because he seemed to already have Mana. Just thinking about it made him feel more depressed. Of all the Children of Millennia, he seemed to be the only one who didn't confess his love yet. He didn't want Freya to keep feeling upset either. So he took a deep breath and decided to look for her.

He paced around his room for a couple of times thinking about what to say before he noticed Mana calling everyone's names. He figured all of his friends were playing hide-and-seek. He joined Mana and helped her look for everybody. He found out that she was looking for Seto, Mystery, and Kisara and that the others were in the courtyard. He went there immediately.

Freya, Mahad, and Atem were just talking while they were waiting for everybody. Kirara and Sakuya were grooming each other while the other monsters played in the water. Joseph clears his throat and asks Freya if he can talk to her. Freya gets up and follows Joseph to another part of the courtyard where the others can't hear them.

Freya had been getting tired of listening to Joseph and ending up hearing nothing, but she decided to give him one last chance. "Joseph, what's wrong? You haven't been yourself lately."

"I know and you're right. I've been acting weird and I think it's time I told you why." Knowing that bringing up Luna will just upset her, Joseph takes his master's advice and mentions his flaws. He removes his hat, rubs the back of his head, and begins by saying, "Freya, I'm not strong or reliable like Mahad. I don't have special powers like you or Kisara. I'm not brave at heart like the prince. I may not have a heart as big as Mystery's and I know I don't have a head as big as Seto's."

"I know," Freya was saying. "But you're very kind, funny, honest, and as Seto would put it, you're as loyal as a dog."

They both chuckle. Joseph continues on and says, "But I haven't been completely honest with you. I need to tell you something. It's been hard to say it, but I'm going to gather my courage and let it out." He takes a deep breath and says slowly, "Freya, I love you."

Freya's eyes shine as tears fill them. She heard what she wanted him to say, but wasn't sure. She was happy to hear him say that he loved her, but was confused about whether or not he meant it. She heard a lot of boys say the same thing to her, but ended up getting her heart broken.

"You don't have to answer right away," Joseph tells her. "I just wanted you to know how I felt about you. I know you've been hurt and for that, I'm sorry. But know that my feelings for you are real."

Unable to handle her confusion, Freya releases the tears in her eyes and starts running. She scoops up Sakuya and makes her way out of the palace. Joseph follows her and tries calling her, but she doesn't stop or look back.

Watching Freya run until she's gone from sight, Mahad and Atem ask Joseph what happened.

He sits down beside them and tells them, "I finally did it. I finally told Freya how much I loved her. Apparently, she didn't take it too well. I thought she would be happy, but-" he stops himself, buries his face in his hands and groans, "I'm no good at these kinds of things."

Atem rubs Joseph's shoulder and tells him, "I'm certain she is happy, Joseph. But I don't see why she would run away crying."

The rest of the children approach them. "What happened?" Kisara asked. "We saw Freya crying while we were on our way to meet up with all of you."

Joseph lifts his head and faces her with tears. "I'm sorry, Kisara. I told Freya I loved her, but I think I ended up hurting her."

Kisara's eyes widen. "You love her? Do you really love her?" Joseph nods and tells her how much he does. She sighs and looks away. "I think I understand." As everyone asks her what she means, she explains to her friends, "Freya told me she was starting to have feelings for Joseph and she really wanted him to love her. That day when we met Luna while we were returning to the palace, Joseph started opening up to her and wanting to be her friend. When Freya saw that, she was worried he was in love with Luna instead."

Realizing that, Joseph remembered mentioning to Freya that he liked dark-haired girls. "Oh, no," he groans. "This is all my fault. But I was just being a friend to Luna. I didn't want Freya to think I was in love with another girl."

"Freya wanted to believe that too," Kisara told him, "but she was scared to say anything. She was afraid of getting her heart broken like she had many times before. But after getting to know you, Joseph, I started to see what it was that made you different from all of those other boys and why she was falling for you. You value the meaning of loyalty and friendship." She continues on and adds, "I want my little cousin to be happy, even if that means being with you. I know she's happy to hear you say that you love her, but right now, she's just a little confused. Give her a little time to herself and she'll come around. Thank you, Joseph, for being the one."

He dries his eyes and asks, "Can you really trust me, Kisara?"

She smiles and nods. "I always have. That's how I know you'll take good care of my little cousin and keep her happy."

To make his friend feel better, Seto pats Joseph on the head. "Freya said the exact same thing to me when I confessed to Kisara. Don't worry about it. We're all friends and we'll always look out for each other." There was more to it than that. Kisara and Freya were the only real family they had for each other. That was all the more reason they each needed a certain special someone who would love them and always be there for them.

Hours passed and Freya still had not yet rejoined the others. Kisara and Joseph were both getting worried that maybe she had left the palace. It was dark now and she never left without Kisara. The monsters looked around the palace, but couldn't find her anywhere.

Kisara knew it would be dangerous for Freya to wander by herself at night. She wanted to look for her, but then wondered if Freya would come back shortly after she left. It wouldn't be good to send for soldiers to look for her either. "I think I want to stay here for the night," Kisara told Atem, "Just in case Freya comes back."

"Very well," he tells her, "but if she's not back in the morning, we'll help you look for her."

"Thank you, my prince," she says and lowers her head to bow. She looks up and asks, "He's really convinced that this is his fault, isn't he?"

Atem sees Joseph sitting in a tree and tells her, "He's really worried about Freya like the rest of us. But I promise the both of you that we'll get her back." He and Kisara walk inside.

Looking up at the stars, Joseph continues to blame himself for Freya's disappearance. _How could I let this happen? How could I fail to see that she was in love with me? Even after I confessed my feelings for her, I still ended up hurting her. Don't worry, Freya. I promise I'm going to set things right._

Freya came to a temple and didn't realize it was dark outside. She didn't think she would've been gone very long and knew everyone was worried. But she wasn't ready to go back. Like Kisara mentioned, the poor girl was confused and needed time alone. "What's wrong with me?" she asked herself. "This is supposed to be what I wanted. I'm supposed to be happy that he loves me, but why do I still feel hurt?" Sakuya rubs herself against Freya and purrs.

She picks up her friend and places her in her lap. "I feel really awful, Sakuya. I must've hurt him after running away like that. Now I'm sure he hates me for it. But I don't want him to. I want him to know how I feel, but now I'm even more afraid than I was the first time."

Freya really did feel terrible for running away and she wanted to make things right. Joseph was being more than a good friend to her and she gave in to her fears of heartache and jealousy. She looks down at her amulet. "I hoped he would love me for just being me and that hope was realized. But something doesn't seem right. Is it my Dragon? Is it trying to tell me something?" Then a voice rings though her head._ Do you possess the power to seek your ideals?_

Freya gets back on her feet. "What was that?" Then she looks down and wonders if the voice came from below the temple. "Come on, Sakuya," she says as she makes her way for the stairs. As they both get deeper below the temple, their surroundings become wider as if they're entering an underground cave. Rings of blue lights shine below them and become dim as they get above them. "I think we're getting closer." Sakuya barks in agreement. She looks down and her ears perk up as she senses something.

When they reach the last step, they find a black sphere releasing electric pulses. It lifts itself from the ground and asks Freya, "What is your wish; your ideal?"

"Ideal?" echoed Freya. Then she remembered what the Mana Dragon said after the mountain serpent was defeated. Was this the clue she was talking about? Freya started to think it over. At first, what she really wanted was to understand her power better and be able to control it. But she knew she wouldn't be able to do that if she couldn't understand herself. So she decided to forget about her previous wish. "I thought I knew what I wished, but now," she stops herself and all of her friends start flashing before her eyes. "I want to understand myself better; not for myself, but for the people I care about. Especially Joseph. I thought I wanted to be ordinary, but not anymore. I thought I wanted help understanding my gift, but now I realize it's so much more than that. But I'm still confused and need help."

The sphere releases more electrical pulses. It shines and starts to take on a completely different form. As the pulses subside, the figure is revealed as the great black dragon, Zekrom. Freya had met Zekrom in her dreams; as if he was bringing her to the temples to find him. He even had the same characteristics as the beast of her soul. Zekrom lets out a mighty roar, but Freya and Sakuya aren't afraid. They keep still and say his name.

"It is your will that shall bring your ideal to life," said Zekrom. A red light shines around him and his form changes once again. He now takes the shape of a man in dragon-like armor with red eyes and black hair. "Maiden who possess the power of the Black Dragon, I have await your arrival. From what you have told me, I understand you are conflicted. But I will guide you. But I cannot help you if you do not even know who you are. You must first find yourself. That will help you prove your determination to find your true ideals."

"Then tell me what to do," Freya begged. "Like I said, I need help. Please, Master Zekrom."

He looks at her amulet, seeing it bears the symbol of hope. "You find your answers whenever you pray. You have been helped many times before. Think about what you can do to help in return."

Freya remembered that whenever she said a prayer, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon would appear and protect her. That made her realize that she didn't help her friends. Her Dragon was the one protecting them. In the situation she was in now, she had to set things right on her own and fight the battle within herself. Then she realized something else; all of her friends would be looking for her and could be in trouble. Freya knew that she had to take responsibility now and set things right by going back to her friends. "I know what I need to do. Thank you, Master," she says and heads for the stairs. Sakuya follows her.

Watching her leave, Zekrom promises, "In the name of the Black Dragon, I will guide and protect you, Freya."


	25. The Light of Truth

The Light of Truth

Everyone woke up early the next morning and met up in the courtyard. Only six of the friends were present, however. "Where's Joseph?" Mana asked. "He wouldn't eat breakfast at a time like this. Not when he knows someone may be in trouble."

"He's probably still asleep," Seto groaned. He was usually an early riser and didn't like it when Joseph slept in. "I'll go get him." Then he went back inside the palace and climbed the stairs to his room. "Joseph, we're all waiting for you," Seto called. "Are you awake?" He stopped and noticed his room was empty. On his bed was a note that read: _I'll be back in a little while. Don't worry about me, Joseph._

Reading the note, Seto wondered, "He wouldn't have gone to look for Freya all by himself, would he? Oh, no!" Considering the situation, he hurried back to his friends and showed them the note.

"He's taking it upon himself to find Freya," Mahad said.

"That fool should have waited for us," Seto growled. "We said we would look for her together."

Kisara shakes her head. "No, I would have done the same thing. I actually should have done that last night when she didn't return. But I thought she would come back."

"That's it then," Mystery says as she stands up. "I'm going out to look for them. They may be in trouble. The rest of you should stay here in case they come back." Then she unfolds her wings.

Before Mystery takes flight, Kisara takes her hand. "I want to go with you. I can't stand waiting like this any longer. Freya's my cousin and I'm responsible for her safety. I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to Joseph either because he's my friend and I don't want to lose him." Kisara also thought she was partially to blame because she told Joseph she would never forgive him if he broke Freya's heart.

"We should all go," said Mana. "After all, we're a team. If Joseph were here, he would say the same thing."

Seto wanted to debate and ask Mana that if he would, why would he leave on his own? But there wasn't any time for that. The last thing everyone needed right now was to start fighting amongst themselves. So it was decided that they would search for Freya and Joseph together like they had already planned.

Kirara carries Kisara, Mahad, and Mana while Seto and Atem ride on the backs of the dragon twins Latios and Latias. Mystery finally takes flight. As they fly above the city, Kisara decides to check Freya's favorite hiding spots. "I'll check the temples. Freya usually likes to spend her time there. If she's not there, I'll go back to the Moogle village. They may have some ideas."

"The prince and I will search the banks along the Nile River," Seto called back. "Joseph may also be in the mountains again, so I'll check that out afterwards."

"Then I will search the desert sands," Mystery tells her friends. "They have to still be in the kingdom." Everyone's agreements are made and they all head in different directions.

Kirara takes her friends to the temples and they all start looking around. While they do, a voice rings in Kisara's head. _Do you possess the courage to seek the truth?_

Kisara stops in her tracks. "What was that?"

"Kisara," Mahad calls, "is something the matter?"

She faces her friends and tells them, "I heard something. I think it came from this temple." Ralts and Kirlia find the stairs that lead underground and call their friends over. Kirara sniffs the ground, thinking she may have picked something up. Kisara approaches the stairs and says, "I'm going to go down there. You keep looking around for Freya."

"Be careful, Kisara," Mana says as her friend disappears down the stairs. Kirara follows Kisara. As they go down, waves of orange lights shine below them and waves of heat move through them.

The finally touch the ground and see a white sphere in front of them. It lifts itself from the ground and releases more heat waves. "What is your wish," the sphere asks Kisara, "your truth?"

"My truth?" echoed Kisara. Then she remembered what the white Mana Dragon told her a few short weeks ago. Was this the one she was promised would help her? "I need help," Kisara answers. "No, I want to help my friends. I'm afraid something may have happened. If that's true and if my friends are in trouble, then I've got to help them. But at the same time," then she starts thinking about the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "I'm afraid I may cause more harm. So I want to help, but at the same time, I need help."

The sphere glows into a bright orange light and releases more heat. Kirara gets in front of Kisara to protect her. They both watch the sphere transform into something completely different. Looking closely, Kisara realizes that it's the great white dragon, Reshiram, the white dragon from her dreams. He even had blue eyes like the beast of her soul. Reshiram lets out a mighty screech and tells Kisara, "It is your courage that shall become your truth."

"Master Reshiram," Kisara whispers. "You're the white dragon I dreamed about. In my dream, you talked to me, promising you would help me find my truth. You must also be the one the white Mana Dragon said would help me."

"And she is right." Reshiram starts to change his form again. He takes the shape of a human and looks like a male image of Kisara. "I knew that one day, I would meet the maiden blessed with the power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I will help you to control your power, but you must first understand yourself."

"The Mana Dragon told me to listen to the spirit within," Kisara tells him.

"You thought she meant the beast of your soul," Reshiram told her. "What she really meant was your voice. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon responds and acts according to your voice. But your voice is a quiet one and your beast cannot always hear it. You cannot even hear yourself. That is why your light is always taking over you. Although it has brought you victory, you have not been controlling it."

Kisara looks down at her amulet. "So I have to strengthen my voice in order to control my light?"

"There is more to it than that. I see that it is still hard for you to understand, but you will know. For now, your friends are in danger and need your help. You must summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon once more. Once I see it, I will know if you have learned. Yes, Kisara, I will join you as you help your friends."

"Thank you, Master. Let's go, Kirara," and they climb up the stairs. Once they finally reach the surface, Kisara tells Mana and Mahad that she may know where Freya could have gone. "Freya once told me she had a dream about meeting another black dragon. She might have gone looking for it to find answers. Or she may have already encountered it. Either way, we have to find her. I think she may already be in trouble."

"But we don't know where to look," Mana told her.

"No, but I might," Kisara told her. "Remember how my light helped us in the tunnels when we rescued the Moogles? Maybe I can use it to locate Freya."

Mana and Mahad face each other. So far, they had nothing to lose by taking a chance. "Do it," Mahad told her.

Kisara closes her eyes to concentrate. She clasps her hands together and starts praying. "My friends may be in trouble and need my help," she whispers, "Tell me where to find them." Just like last time, she starts glowing and hears a voice in her head. Seeing Freya and finding that she's all right for now, Kisara is relieved. But listening closely, she finds that she actually isn't. Kisara opens her eyes and tells her friends, "Freya's looking for Joseph."


	26. Trial By Dragons

Trial By Dragons

Mystery and Jirachi were flying above the desert. With the rest of their friends covering ground on land, they thought they would be able to get a better look from above. They stopped at Joseph's house and wondered if he would be there. Unfortunately, his parents said that they hadn't seen him recently. They suggested looking at the river. Mystery remembered that he had been going to the river to practice swimming, so she took their advice and headed there immediately.

"But Seto and the prince are already checking the river," Jirachi told her.

"I know. I am just trying to trace Joseph's steps and find the path he takes from his house to the river." On the way, they hear their names being called. Jirachi and Mystery stop, wondering who is calling them and where the voice is coming from. Seeing a figure in the distance, Mystery asks, "Is that?"

Jirachi sees it too and asks, "Could it be?" They hear their names being called once again and get a clear vision. "It is! It's Freya!"

The girls get closer together and start hugging each other. Sakuya happily leaps on Jirachi and starts smothering him with kisses. Jirachi sits up and hugs her. "Where have you been?" Mystery asked Freya. "We've been searching everywhere for you."

Freya kept apologizing for worrying her, but Mystery kept forgiving her and asking her where she went. "After I ran away from the palace, I went to the temples. While I was there, I-" she stops herself and says, "Never mind that. Where are the others?"

"When you didn't come home last night, Joseph left and went looking for you. Now we're all looking for him," Jirachi answered. "He thought you left because he hurt you. He felt so badly about the whole thing that he wanted to find you and make things right."

Freya gasps and covers her mouth. "Oh, no, I did this," she admitted. "I cause him so much trouble and now he's looking for me when I should be the one setting things right between us." She dries her eyes and promises, "Well, I'll help you look for Joseph."

"Thank you, Freya," Mystery tells her, "but don't you think we should reunite with the others first?"

She shakes her head. "There's no time. After I left the temple, I heard a voice in my head telling me that Joseph may be in trouble. I think my Black Dragon is guiding me to him. Come on!" And she starts running towards the outskirts. Mystery, Jirachi, and Sakuya start following her. Remembering that the same thing happened with Kisara in the tunnels, they decide to put their trust in Freya.

Feeling the ground below them becoming firm, they find themselves on a road. They follow it and come to the ruins of Kul Elna. Freya had wandered nearly the entire kingdom with Kisara, but they have never come to the village before. It was unfamiliar to Mystery also even though she had been all over the kingdom as well. "What is this place?" Mystery asks, looking at the destruction. Jirachi gets behind Mystery and starts shuddering with fear. Sakuya lowers her ears and starts growling. "Freya," Mystery whispers. She speaks up and tries again. "Freya, wait a minute."

She stops walking and gives Mystery her attention. "What is it, Mystery?"

"I don't want to pass through here," she answers. "I sense something evil." She was right. Though she didn't know exactly what it was, she could sense something dark and evil.

What Mystery was sensing was also sensing her. Bakura saw the Cobalt Star acting up. "She's here," he realized. He took the chest containing the Cobalt Star and put it in a sack.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"The Cobalt Star senses Mystery in the village," he tells her. "I've got to hide it and myself." He faces her and adds, "I need you to go out there and get rid of her. Don't let her find me."

Luna does as told and leaves the house. To get a clear lookout, she climbs up the house and sits on the roof. She sees Mystery and waves to her. "Stay where you are," Luna calls to her, "I'm coming over." She climbs down and approaches the girls and their monsters. "What are you doing here? It isn't safe for you to be here. Don't you know where you are?"

Freya didn't want to bring herself to have bitter feelings for Luna for no reason, but she still didn't seem to trust her. "We could say the same about you."

Mystery holds up her hand to stop her. "Luna, is this your home?"

"Yeah, what's left of it anyway. People have tried coming here to rebuild it, but they run away saying that the whole place is haunted by the villagers who lost their lives to the destruction."

_That must be what I've been sensing_, Mystery thought to herself. _Us coming here must have disturbed the spirits_. "We know we have no business here. We're just looking for Joseph. Did you see him pass through here?"

Luna shakes her head. "Why? Is he missing?" The girls nod. "Well, I'll help you look for him. I know the outskirts really well. Just watch out for bandits and Gerudos."

"Thank you, Luna," Mystery tells her, "we really appreciate it." Freya didn't want to trust Luna, but she knew she had to whether she liked it or not. So she followed the girls as they headed west.

Luna led the girls down a path Mystery recognized. "I know this place," she said out loud. "I come here to train with my master and classmates. Mahad and I even practiced in combat here once."

"I come here to watch magicians train," Luna explained. "I actually envy you, Mystery. I wish I could cast magic too. My adopted parents told me I possessed some magical talent, but I never got a chance to start training because, well, I'm sure you know."

"Do you think Joseph could be here?" Freya asked.

"Maybe," she told her. "I was on my way to the river this morning and saw some men dressed in unusual clothes. They looked suspicious, so I followed them here. I found out they weren't ordinary sorcerers. Based on the magic they were casting, I'm guessing they seem to have a link to the underworld."

"What were they doing?" asked Mystery.

Luna stops them and sees the same sorcerers. Near their magic circle is a dragon. It looked like the Mana Dragon from the tunnels, but was purple with primrose hair. "A Mana Beast?"

"Let's get out of here," Jirachi whined.

"Wait," said Luna. She takes Mystery's hand and tells her to follow. "Come on. I want to see what they're doing."

Freya follows and asks, "But what about Joseph? I thought you were going to help us look for him."

"I am, but it looks like we have a minor setback." The girls climb to the top of a hill and watch from above. Mystery realizes that she and her friends are actually above the spellcaster's training grounds. The Mana beast is placed in the middle of the magic circle and the head sorcerer starts incanting. His followers join in and the circle lights up.

"One more ingredient remains," the sorcerer explains, "the life energy of a mortal. Bring in the prisoner," he orders. While some of his students lift a stake, two men carry a boy and tie him up to it. Looking closely, the girls see that it's Joseph.

Freya's eyes widen. "Stay here," she tells her friends. "I'm going to get help." Then she starts making her way back to the desert.

Looking down, the head sorcerer places his fingers on Joseph's brow. "For this boy to be able to withstand all of our magical assaults, his will must be very strong. His energy is what we need to complete the offering. Once it's complete, our dark master will rise."

The Mana beast screeches and Joseph starts screaming. Seeing the dragon disappear from the circle, one sorcerer cries, "The offering has been accepted."

Unable to stand by and watch any longer, Mystery unfolds her wings and flies down. Jirachi attacks the sorcerer draining Joseph's energy while she rescues him. "Come on, Joseph, stay with me," she says as she unties him.

Looking at Mystery, the sorcerers start gasping, wondering if she's a witch or a demon. Their leader stands up and growls. "So, you're the one the people of this wretched kingdom have been talking about. You see, my dear, I heard about a winged magician stopping criminals and rescuing the endangered. I thought you would make a perfect offering for my master, but then I realized I needed the life energy of a mortal and a live demon to be sacrificed."

"What is this master you and your students serve?" asked Mystery.

"A demon, of course. A demon from the underworld. Thanks to him, our life force is eternal. Human energy supplies him with the power he needs, but a demon from the world of the living can serve as a vessel. The Mana beast we are offering will become a host. Once our master arrives, he will drain all humans of their life energy and rule this world. And not even a meek little magician like you can stop us. Using your friend as a sacrifice was brilliant."

Mystery looks back at Joseph with tears. "He's not gone. He's just weak right now. But he'll be back to his old self."

Jirachi growls and adds, "And Mystery's not a meek magician. She's the true heiress of the Great Goddess Millennia."

The head sorcerer laughs and turns his attention to the magic circle. The Mana Beast returns, but takes on a different form. Behind it is a cape that looks like the moonlit sky and on its head is a skull for a crown. It lets out a mighty screech and stands on its hind legs.

Millennia's voice rings in Mystery's head once again. _Mystery, the Dark Ruler of the underworld has crushed the Mana Beast's soul and taken over its body. I am afraid my magic alone will not be able drive the Dark Ruler out of the Mana Beast's body._

"What are you saying?"

_Although he is immortal, the Dark Ruler has no vessel of his own. It is the same for his sorcerers. They all sold their hearts to the underworld and do not have their own bodies. They gain immortality by feeding on life energy. The only way to defeat the Dark Ruler is to destroy its host. After that, his sorcerers will fall with him._

Mystery's eyes widen. "No, there must be a way to defeat the Dark Ruler and save the Mana Beast." Sadly, she had to accept Millennia's words. The Mana Beast had already lost itself and couldn't control its rage. Other than that, she didn't stand a chance alone. Mystery really needed her friends. Her wish for them to be with her and save the Mana Beast caused her amulet to start glowing and her eyes to turn white and shine. "Lucent Beam!" she cried, and a ray of light struck the dragon. It wounded the creature, but not fatally enough. The dragon struck back and spewed fire and poison gas from its mouth.

The sorcerers could breathe through the fumes because they weren't mortal. The mystic properties of the Millennium Star would protect Mystery, but not her friends. She had to get Jirachi and Joseph to safety. She unfolds her wings and carries them back to Luna. "Please take care of them. You will all be safe where you are. Don't worry; I won't let the Mana Beast attack you."

"But wait," Luna was saying, "I won't let you fight him alone."

"You will die if you try to help me. I don't know how quickly its fumes can spread throughout the body, but I can't take any chances. I don't know any reviving spells either, so I won't risk putting you in danger."

Luna tried again. "Yeah, but-"

"This is not up for debate," Mystery said sternly. "I appreciate your courage, but I don't want to lose you. You're my friend, Luna, and I would never forgive myself if I let you get killed."

Luna finally gives in. As much as she wanted to help, she had to accept that there was nothing she could do but stand by. "I'll take care of them. Just promise me that you won't die."

Mystery nods and gives her word. After that, she gets back on the ground and right at the Mana Beast's feet. If it attacks her while she's on the ground, then her friends are safe. But she remembers that it can fly, so she may have no choice but to take the fight to the skies. How could she fight and make sure it wouldn't attack her friends? She launches another Lucent Beam attack; piercing through one of the Mana Beast's wings and giving it no choice but to fight on land. The dragon attacks again, but its blast is intercepted by a lightning attack. "Kisara?" Mystery asked, wondering if it came from the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Hearing a fierce roar, she looks up at the sky and sees Freya riding Zekrom.

"My master and I have come to help," Freya calls out to her. "Everyone else is on their way too!" She looks down and sees Luna sitting beside Joseph and Jirachi. "Master, take me to my friends." Zekrom lowers himself and brings her down. "Are they going to be all right?"

"I don't know," Luna said honestly. "His energy was drained, but I don't think he breathed in the toxic fumes. As for Jirachi, I gave him an antidote to be safe, so he'll be all right."

Freya lifts Joseph and places his head on her lap. "This is all my fault," she told herself again. "Oh, Joseph, please don't die. I can't live without you. I'm sorry I ran away and hurt you." She takes her amulet off from around her neck and places it on his chest. "The king said there was power in these amulets. If he's right, then please take whatever power is in my amulet." Then she closes her eyes, but stops herself. _What if my Black Dragon appears once I pray for Joseph's health?_ Then she shakes her head. _No, I have to control it. I can't give up hope either. I have to believe. I don't care about anything else anymore. I don't hate Luna and I don't want forgiveness either. I don't care if I don't understand why I have this power in the first place either. I just want to make things right again._ Then her amulet starts glowing and releases pulses. Freya puts her hands close to her chest and feels as if Joseph's heart is beating with her own.

Zekrom launches his Fusion Bolt at the Mana Beast and stuns it. Mystery tries another Lucent Beam attack, but it still isn't enough. Then a blast of fire strikes the Mana Beast from behind before it can counter attack. Mystery and Zekrom face the sky and see Reshiram between Latios and Latias. Kirara is also with them and has Atem and Seto on her back. "Mystery," Kisara calls out, "we've come to help!"

"Latias, use Mist Ball to get rid of the fumes," Mana tells her.

Mahad raises his voice and makes his command, "Latios, attack with Luster Purge." The twins clean the area and attack the Mana Beast.

Reshiram launches another Fusion Flare. Kisara looks down and sees the rest of her friends. "Master Reshiram, fly down and let me off where my friends are." Reshiram does as told and takes Kisara down. "Thank you; now please help Mystery and Master Zekrom. I'll help you too once I make sure my friends are all right."

"Let us down, Kirara," Seto orders, "they may need our help." She obeys and drops them off. Seto and Atem climb off and approach their friends.

Latios and Latias carry Mahad and Mana up as well. Mahad gets on his knees and places his fingertips at Joseph's neck to check his pulse. "He's going to be all right. You had the right idea, Freya. Giving him your strength will have him restored. But let me take it from here. Mystery needs help."

Atem nods in agreement. "He's right. Kisara, Freya, you girls do what you must."

Kisara and Freya face each other. "It's not about me or you anymore, Cousin," Freya tells Kisara. "I realize that now. It's about everybody. And I find I don't need to understand my gift. I just need to accept it and believe in it. And I do."

Kisara nods and takes her cousin's hand. "I realized the same thing when I met Master Reshiram. I don't need to understand my gift in order to embrace it. How I use it matters." Then she raises her voice and cries out, "And I choose to use it for everybody! Come forth, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Then her beast appears and flies above her.

"I had hopes for myself and my friends," Freya told herself. She raises her voice and finishes by saying, "But really, we can all share the same hopes and dreams. And my power is for everybody as well! Red-Eyes Black Dragon, I summon you!" And her creature appears as well.

Reshiram and Zekrom stand in front of the Mana Beast while the White and Black Dragons stand behind it. Mystery looks at the Dragons and whispers, "Thank you, my friends. You are always helping me. Even though I tell you to stay back for your own safety, you still risk your lives to not only help me, but to protect the rest of our friends. How can I ever thank you or repay you? Millennia puts all of her faith in all of us when we work together, but there still must be something more I can do for her and for all of you. I must be able to give my strength somehow and not just receive it. I was told I must use Millennia's power for everybody and not just myself. All of my friends are using their powers for everybody and I must do the same thing." She stands up straight and her amulet starts glowing.

On top of the hill concealing the spellcaster's training grounds, the same thing happens. "This is weird," said Mana. "How can Joseph's amulet be glowing when he hasn't tapped into its power? He's not even conscious." Then her amulet starts glowing.

"It's not just his," said Luna. "All of your amulets are glowing." She was right. Their lights were also making their way to Mystery like a rainbow path.

The rainbow path surrounds Mystery like the ring of colors surrounding the Millennium Star. "Wh-what is this?" Then she sees the trail coming from her friends. "Is everyone giving me their power?"

_You are thinking about it the wrong way_, said Millennia, _Your powers are being combined together. This is the key to unlocking your true power. Once it is released, it will become one with you just as you and I are one._

Mystery feels the light becoming stronger and brighter. She also feels tremendous energy inside her being released. The rainbow trail surrounding her shines above her and reveals the silhouette of a dragon. The shape becomes clear and reveals a large, thin white dragon with seven different colored jewels across its body.

Looking at the dragon, Freya asks, "Is that dragon the beast of Mystery's soul?"

"I guess she's like you and me now," said Kisara. "But how did she summon it?"

"Look at the pattern of jewels on it," said Mahad. "Don't they look like our amulets?"

"Yeah, but there's seven of them and eight of us," Mana told him. "Where's the eighth?"

"I think," Atem was saying, "the dragon itself is Mystery's amulet and the jewels are ours. We helped her to unlock her hidden power. Millennia herself must have also helped."

Mystery looks up with determination. "Rainbow Dragon," she calls, "Let's finish this fight together once and for all; you, me, and all of our friends." Then she looks up and nods at her friends.

As if they can see her nod, they nod back. "From darkness you came," Kisara cried out.

"And to darkness you shall return!" Freya finished.

"Feel our powers as they become one!" Everyone shouts in unison, and the White and Black Dragons combine their White Lighting and Inferno Fire Blast together. Mystery's Rainbow Dragon joins in and uses its Spectral Surge. With the Mana Beast disappearing into the shadows, the Dark Ruler and his minions return to the underworld; never to return to the world of the living again.

Reshiram and Zekrom approach Kisara and Freya and take on their human forms. "You have both proven your strength and realized your wishes," said Zekrom. "Now you can fully control the beasts of your souls. You even helped your friend to unlock the Dragon of her soul. There is nothing more for us to teach you."

"Thank you, Masters," the cousins say in unison. "You helped us more than we realized."

"The time has now come for us to depart. But there may come a time when we may need each other again. If that should happen, we will know how to find you girls and your friends," said Reshiram.

"Farewell, Masters. And thank you again." After their good-byes are said, Reshiram and Zekrom take on their true forms, fly above the children, let out mighty roars, and fly away to seek out their new chosen warriors.

Mystery flies back to her friends and Joseph finally starts coming to and opens his eyes. He sits up and asks, "What happened?"

"You're back," Mana happily cried.

Freya gets down to him and slaps him in the face. "Don't ever scare me like that again," she scolded. "I was afraid I'd lost you!" She wraps her arms around his neck and starts sobbing.

Again, Seto wanted to scold his friend for being foolish, but he was happy to have him and Freya back, alive and well. "It's good to have you both back," he told them.

Freya stands up and dries her eyes. "I'm really sorry I worried all of you. I'm sure you're all mad and can't forgive me, but that's all right. I deserve to be scolded."

Mystery shakes her head. "All that matters is that you returned to us safely. Where you went and what happened isn't important anymore."

Luna rolls her eyes. "You're too soft, you know that?" She turns her attention to Joseph and asks him, "And what do you have to say for all the trouble you caused your friends?"

Joseph stands up and apologizes. "I was worried and couldn't wait any longer. I left to find Freya because I felt I was responsible for what happened and needed to set things right. I admit I didn't know where to find her. That was when I got myself mixed up with those sorcerers. I got worried that they were also looking for Freya and wanted her power, so I thought the only way to keep that from happening was by stopping them. I didn't realize they had a link to the underworld. I was able to protect myself, but they considered me strong and wanted my energy."

"That was irresponsible and senseless of you," Mahad scolded. He smiles and adds, "But you're very fortunate to be alive and we're happy to have you back."

"Only next time, don't try to face situations on your own even if you are responsible for them," Seto told him. "You tell us that all the time."

Joseph chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his head. "Yeah, I walked into that one." Then he faces the sky and sees Rainbow Dragon with Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "Mother Goddess, what is this?"

Seto faces him and tells him, "While you were unconscious, Mystery summoned a new Dragon to join the battle. But she didn't do it alone. We all helped her; even you."

"Me? How could I have done anything to help when I was out of it?"

"If I had to guess," Luna was saying, "as the head sorcerer mentioned before, you're very strong-willed. You must've been trying to fight and come back to us so you could help your friends."

Joseph looks up at the Dragons with the rest of his friends. "Well, I'm glad I could help though I missed out on a lot of the action. What exactly happened?"

Mystery giggles and says, "We'll tell you about later." Then she flies up to the three Dragons. "Thank you all for your help. We defeated the Dark Ruler together."

Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon both disappear, but Rainbow Dragon stays behind and tells Mystery, "And thank you for setting me free. You were finally able to tap into your true power with the help of your friends."

Mystery is surprised to hear the Dragon speak to her. It even sounded feminine. Then she realized that only she could hear the Dragon's voice. So Mystery asked, "Are you like the beasts that dwell within the souls of my friends?"

"No, you and I are fully connected and you have my word that I will serve and protect you." The way Rainbow Dragon was saying that made it seem to Mystery that she could will it and control it without any problem. But if Reshiram and Zekron complemented Freya and Kisara and said they could now control their own Dragons, would the three of them fare equally?

Thinking about it, Mystery decides that it doesn't matter. "Thank you, my friend. But since my friends helped to release you, does the same thing have to happen in order for me to summon you?"

"No," Rainbow Dragon answers, "I live in your soul alone, so you can summon and command me as you will. It is the same with your friends now that they can control their Dragons. However, I am just as strong as they are and you will feel very exhausted when you and I battle together."

Mystery nods in understanding. "I trust you, but I also feel that your powers are dangerous and must be used carefully. So I must not summon you. I am not disregarding you; I just want to be cautious."

"You are wise to have these sensations," said Rainbow Dragon, "so I will respect your feelings." And she disappears as Mystery places her hand on her head to pet her. Mystery flies down and gets on her knees. She finds herself feeling fatigued from battle. Now she knew how Kisara and Freya felt whenever they summoned their Dragons for battle.

Kisara helps Mystery stand up. "I suppose you realize how exhausted you are after summoning your Dragon. Don't worry; Freya and I were the same way. But you'll get used to it. For now, we should get you and the others back to the palace."

Then Joseph remembers something. Now that he and Freya are together again, they can fix things between them. "Guys, why don't you all go on ahead? There's something I need to discuss with Freya. Go on, we'll catch up."

Everyone nods and gives their friends some space. Luna decides to return to Kul Elna. She figured Bakura would be worried something might have happened to her.

With everyone away, Joseph and Freya are finally able to talk. Again, he makes the first move. "Freya, I'm sorry if I offended you yesterday. No, I mean I'm sorry for offending you."

She shakes her head. "No, I'm sorry. I was jealous and afraid. I even failed to see that I had nothing to be jealous or afraid of. I also didn't realize I was actually only hurting myself and you." Then she starts sobbing and turns her back on Joseph. He starts to worry that the same thing is about to happen again until she promises him, "I won't run away this time. I'm just embarrassed to show my face. I feel like a silly little girl for crying like this, but I'm actually crying of happiness. Not just because you're all right, but because of what you told me. I want to give you an answer."

Freya finally turns around and faces him with a smile and tears. "Joseph, I love you too. I want to be with you forever."

Hearing that, Joseph's smile widens and his enthusiasm returns. "You mean it? You really mean it?" She nods and tells him so. "Oh, Freya, this is the happiest I've ever felt in my life. It's like being in the paradise beyond and Millennia and Ra are smiling at us!"

She giggles and says, "I know; I feel the same way." Before they start to embrace each other, Sakuya barks to get their attention. They look down and see her holding Freya's amulet in her mouth.

Joseph takes the amulet from Sakuya and rubs it. "Here, this belongs to you. And thank you for being here with me," he says and secures it around Freya's neck. It starts glowing once it's secure. Joseph's amulet starts glowing as well once he holds Freya's hands in his. They move closer together and wrap their arms around each other. Freya places her head against Joseph's chest to hear his heart beating and he places one hand on her head to rub it. "Let's go," he whispers, "everyone is waiting for us." And together, they rejoin the rest of their friends and head back to the palace.


	27. Legend of Knights

Legend of Knights

Seto asked everybody to come with him to the palace library and said he had something he wanted to show them. "I can't believe I didn't think about this before," he said as he was gathering some books. "I read stories about Legendary Dragons while I was studying for my exams. There are even a lot of references to white and black dragons like the ones we've seen." Then he places one book on the table for everybody to look at. "Look here, guys."

They all do as told and look at the images on the pages. Seto reads the contents on the pages and says, "According to legend, when Cobalt and Millennia were still deities and still battling, a great dragon was born when their attacks collided."

Looking at the image of the great dragon, everyone sees that it looks like the White Dragon and the Black Dragon are combined together. "It looks like one half of the great dragon is white and the other half is black," Mana said, looking at the image.

"The legend says that the White Dragon and the Black Dragon were born as one entity, but were severed by the gods because of their differences," said Mahad. "The Dark Lord Cobalt took the Black Dragon while the Great Goddess Millennia took the white dragon."

"And listen to this," Seto was saying as he turned the page, "the Dragons refused to engage in battle against each other. Despite their differences, they understood each other because they were once one being." Then he looks at Kisara and Freya. "I think you girls have a connection to this story."

They face each other, then put their eyes back on the book. They can't help but agree with Seto about working together and understanding each other despite their differences. But as much as Freya knew that her Red-Eyes Black Dragon was a creature of darkness, she didn't feel like one of the Dark Lord's children.

Atem looks down at the book and reads the contents. "There's more to the story. The White and Black Dragons understood each other so much that they had their own thoughts on how to end the battle between their parents. That was why they became known as the dragons of truth and ideals; because they shared the same dream. Cobalt and Millennia both felt betrayed because the Dragons were neither with nor against either deity, so they banished their creations."

Mahad turns the page and finishes the rest of the story, saying that in order for the White and Black Dragons to realize their wishes, they needed the help of a chosen warrior who shared that common wish: to end the battle once and for all and bring peace between the forces of light and darkness. He looks back at Freya and says, "You're not a follower of Cobalt. And though your Black Dragon is a creature of darkness, you use its power for good instead of evil. It kind of helps others to wonder if there is a way for light and darkness to live in harmony. That's where this story comes in." Then he opens another book; telling the story of the legend of the Knights of Light and Darkness.

Just as the legend of Millennia and Cobalt was known in every nation of the world and had several versions, so did the tale of the Light Knight and the Dark Knight. In Egypt, the story said that long ago, before the kingdom of Egypt was unified, two magicians met and fell in love. One was a follower of Cobalt and the other served Millennia. The two magicians would meet every night in the desert and get together, but as their love grew stronger, the bitterness between their clans grew deeper. Eventually, their clans engaged in battle. Unable to stand by and watch the battle continue, the magicians put their differences aside and agreed that they wanted nothing more than for their people to live in harmony just as they were. White and Black Dragons came and fought alongside the magicians, seeing that they had the same wish. Riding on the White and Black Dragons, the magicians came to stop the battle. Joining together and fighting as one, the Dark Knight's ultimate power, the Firebird, was released. With its silver flames piercing through the darkness and its shadow blanketing the light, the opposing sides finally ceased fighting. Though the Dark Knight was responsible for the way things ended, it was the love she had for the Light Knight and the friendship they shared that unlocked her power.

Seto closes the book and says, "But as fascinating as these stories are, they are legends, like the tale of the Battle of the Gods. And as connected as they may seem with Kisara and Freya, there's really no legitimate evidence that they're the Knights of the legend."

"Seto's right," said Kisara, "being gifted with the powers of the White and Black Dragons doesn't make us Knights of Light and Darkness."

"But is it possible that these Knights could exist?" asked Mana.

"If they do," Mystery was saying, "then they could be the key to ending the battle between Millennia and Cobalt once and for all." She sighs and turns away from the others. Honestly, Mystery didn't want to get herself involved in the Battle of the Gods. But she accepted her destiny as heiress of Millennia and said she would be committed to it. But after hearing the stories she was told, she was having second thoughts. When she's asked if she's all right, she decides to be honest and say, "I think I would rather be the Light Knight than Millennia's heiress."

"What are you saying?" Joseph asked.

She finally turns to face them and explains, "I know being Millennia's heiress means I must continue the battle for her, but I really don't want to fight. I also know I said I would be committed to it, but really, I just want to bring peace and harmony. Surely there must a peaceful solution to dealing with Cobalt and his followers. I mean, it was so easy to get along with all of you despite our differences."

"They're not like us, Mystery," said Seto. "Violence is the only solution for them to deal with their foes. If you meet Cobalt's true heir and try to take him as a friend, he'll take that as an opportunity to kill you."

Joseph walks up to Mystery and sets his hand on her shoulder. "We understand how you feel, Mystery, but Seto's right. You'll have to fight back sooner or later. Because it's not about you; it's about us. And even if you were a Light Knight, you would still have to fight."

"But for what?" Mystery asked. "Millennia's wishes or my own dreams? Of course I want to fulfill Millennia's wishes, but I also want-" she interrupts herself, knowing she'll just say what she wants is also what Millennia wants. "But if Millennia wants peace and harmony, then does that really mean having to destroy Cobalt and his followers? Why can't light and darkness live together in harmony?"

Seto rolls his eyes. "Do we have to go through it again?"

"Enough," Atem tells him. "The last thing we need is to start fighting amongst ourselves about this matter. But I don't think we need to go into further detail about the whole thing. So far, it's been bringing about confusion. Also, I think it would be best if we kept quiet about the things we talked about for a while."

"I agree," said Freya. "That'll help us think things over and protect some secrets." Everyone else agrees and starts putting the books away. Afterwards, they head back to the palace courtyard.

Finally, when the night started, things finally began to quiet down. Joseph was standing on the balcony looking at the stars and the nearly full moon.

Seto walks up to him and joins him. "I never get tired of looking at it," he whispers.

"I know," Joseph whispered back. "It's like light and darkness are living in harmony. I wonder if it's the harmony Mystery idealizes when she thinks about all that we've talked about and what things will be like if she does meet Cobalt's true heir."

"I've been wondering the same thing. I also feel kind of feel bad about the things I said. I almost started a fight and made Mystery feel more confused."

Joseph faces him and tells him, "Don't feel so bad. You just care about her and want to help her. But you know, I also wonder if she feels this way because of Luna and wanting to be her friend."

"It's not like Luna feels the same way," said Seto. "She hasn't even been much of a friend to any of us. Never even showed any sense of appreciation or affection."

"If there are Light and Dark Knights, better Freya and Kisara than Mystery and Luna. I mean, they've got their own dreams. And though they're on our side, they don't seem to be with or against Millennia or Cobalt. But they're helping us to fulfill Millennia's wishes. I wonder if that's what they really want. As for Luna, it's clear that she doesn't want to have anything to do with any of us. She doesn't even really consider us her friends. Not even Mystery, who does everything she can for her."

"Let's not talk about this anymore," interrupted Seto. "It's just going to give us more headaches." He smiles at Joseph and tells him, "Kisara's all right with it, you know; you and Freya. She told me how happy she was for you and knows you'll be good to her." He moves closer and whispers, "But if I were you when she's around, I'd keep all the cute nonsense to a minimum."

Joseph smiles and tells him, "We're kids. What's wrong with having a little fun?" Before Seto can say anything, Joseph adds, "Don't take it the wrong way. I know we're not ready for that. After all, we're both twelve."

Seto pats Joseph's shoulder and tells him, "Someday, my friend. Until then, we've all got to be patient."

Joseph nods and says, "Just do me a favor, Set. When I'm around you and Kisara, keep all the cute nonsense to a minimum."

Seto snickers and argues, "Yeah, like that's going to happen. Besides, I'm a serious kind of guy who doesn't like to fool around." Then he sighs and rests his head on his hand. "But I guess I can also lighten up a little and be soft."

"Yeah, but I think you'll need to do something about your sense of humor. Then again, I probably shouldn't be so sensitive about it. You are doing it to have fun."

"But I seem to be the only one doing so. I guess if I want to find something amusing, I should make sure my friends can find it just as amusing." Then they both look up at the sky again. "You know, I never realized how beautiful Egypt looked at night."

"Me neither," said Joseph. "I guess we never took the time to actually look." Then they see dragon riders flying in the sky as they race above the kingdom. Both Seto and Joseph agreed that dragon riding was fascinating, but Seto seemed to want it more. They were great warriors as well as great sport players. It was an athletic event and a battle of wits. Seto couldn't wait to one day be like one of them.


	28. Luna's Decision

Luna's Decision

After being granted permission to leave the palace and make rounds around the kingdom, Mystery took the chance to pay her parents a visit. Shira and Serin were very excited to see her and she was excited in the same way. Even Jirachi, Mawile, and Meowstic were happy to see each other again. They hadn't seen each other since the prince's birthday party.

"We're so happy that you've come, Mystery," said Shira. "We saw your performance at the palace and we loved it. What you and your friends did was really sweet."

"And really spectacular," Serin mentioned. "I have to admit, your friends are really something else. Seeing you look so happy with them reminds me of how things were like for me when I lived in the palace as a child."

"But you were an orphan," Shira told him. "Mystery has us and her friends and the royals. I say that makes the best family anybody in this kingdom can ask for."

Mystery shakes her head. "I think I'm just lucky to have such wonderful, caring people for a family. And that I can share it with everyone else."

Shira walks over to Mystery and places her hand on her shoulder. "I think the proper term would be 'blessed'. A gift can be shared with anyone else, but most times, that gift can be taken for granted or abused. On the other hand, to be blessed with something means it can never be taken for granted. It must be recognized, appreciated, and valued." She kisses her daughter on the forehead. "It's all right if you don't understand now. You will someday. But on another note, did anything exciting happen lately? Did you get to go on any new adventures?"

"We learned about the legend of the Knights of Light and Darkness," Mystery answered. "And about the White and Black Dragons."

After taking a sip of his water, Serin smiles and says, "Oh, yes, I know those stories. The magicians riding the legendary Dragons and stopping the battle between their clans."

Jirachi nods. "And guess what? We met Masters Reshiram and Zekrom."

Shira and Serin's eyes widen hearing that. "Reshiram and Zekrom?" Serin asked. "Are you serious?"

Mystery and Jirachi both nod. "It was amazing, Papa. And with their help and the help of my friends, we were able to unlock another one of my powers; my very own Shadow Creature. Well, I don't think I should say that since she is actually a creature of light, but she is still the monster of my soul."

Serin had learned almost everything there was to know about Shadow Creatures since they helped bring the royals victory in the wars that happened eight years ago. A Shadow Creature was nothing to be feared of until it was captured or unless it was controlled. Due to that matter, Serin was both curious and afraid about what kind of monster lived in his daughter's soul.

"I wish I could show you," said Mystery, "But I can't. I made a promise never to summon her."

"Is she powerful?" Shira asked.

"Yes, and that makes her dangerous. But she told me that I can control her and that she won't harm anyone against my wishes, so I trust her. But I still don't want to take my chances." After saying that, Mystery describes Rainbow Dragon's appearance and powers. "But you know; I bet I'll learn more about my Shadow Creature and learn more about my spells at the same time."

Shira and Serin face each other for one moment; then put their eyes back on Mystery. "Yes, that'll be very good for you," said Serin. "In the meantime, do you want to do something fun with us while you're here? We could ride horses or head to the river. Or we could go to the Valley of the Kings."

Mystery takes her time to think about it. "Actually, I was thinking, maybe we could have lunch with our friends at Council Rock."

As much as Serin wanted his daughter to spend less time with monsters, he remembered that all of Mystery's human friends were all at the palace. He also knew that the council members would be gathered together at this hour. Shira, on the other hand, was delighted about Mystery's idea about meeting her old friends. After all, she did have an adventurous side and used to be a demon tamer.

"That sounds like a great idea," said Shira. "We'll go as a family; the six of us." Serin knew there was no point in debating over the matter, so he agreed and started getting things ready for lunch. Mystery decided not to fly to Council Rock; so Jirachi used his teleportation powers and brought the family out to the desert.

When they came to Council Rock, only the Swords of Justice and the noble dogs were present. Even they took on the shape of humans. Eons ago, Magical Creatures wanted to live among their human companions as one of their kind. When they found a way to change their shape and look like humans, the power to transform had been passed down to their kin. Soon many Magical Creatures lost the power to change into humans; leaving only few to do so. It wasn't just Magical Creatures, but many other kinds of demons.

Keldeo is the first to notice them. "Look, everybody, Mystery and Jirachi are here. And they've even brought their family."

Cobalion smiles and greets his guests. "Welcome, Master Serin, Lady Shira, and Mystery. I also welcome your Magical Creatures." Cobalion and the other council members knew that Serin was once a royal courtier to the king and had always considered him a master.

Serin chuckles and says, "Please, it's not necessary to address us with such noble names. We're commoners."

"But like the rest of us, you are friends with the royals," said Terrakion.

"It's good to have you and your family pay a friendly visit to us, Mystery," said Virizion.

"We were wondering if we could join you for lunch," Mystery told them.

Immediately, Terrakion told her, "But, of course. We would love for you to. Come and make yourselves comfortable and we can eat." So they all gather around and sit together. While Mystery and her family brought their own food, the council members shared some plants and berries. While they ate, they all talked about their usual routine. Things weren't the same for the council members without Mystery working with them, but the people and monsters they helped together were still inspired to be like their heroes. Even Serin found a change in his attitude and seemed happy to spend time with the council members as friends.

After lunch, the council members decided to rest their stomachs before heading out on their next mission. There hadn't been any calls yet about any dangers, so they were all right with just resting for a while. Shira and Serin were ready to head back home, but Mystery wanted to see the rest of the desert before returning to the palace. Hopefully, she would get to see Luna again.

Watching Mystery and Jirachi head off, their friends and family say 'good-bye' and wish them well. Seeing a disturbed look on her husband's face, Shira asks him, "Are you all right?"

Instead of answering her, he says to himself, "I wonder if I should have told her before she left."

"Do you mean about the Shadow Creatures and why they live inside of us?" Shira asked.

"No," Cobalion immediately said. "I understand that as her father, it is your place to tell her, Serin, but I don't think she needs to know about that just yet. Not even the royal children know anything about it except what their masters have been telling them. Mystery and her friends will know when the time comes." The rest of the council members agree. Even though they knew, they had sworn to keep quiet about it.

Serin finds that he has no choice but to acknowledge Cobalion's words. "Very well," he sighs.

On the way home, Shira asks, "Does it have to do with what happened in the outskirts?"

"I wish I could say 'no', but that would be a lie," Serin told her. "Shira, something happened when the ritual was being performed. A border between our world and the Realm of Shadows opened up. Something tried to cross over into our world, but got trapped. Many other things got loose: Shadow Creatures; so called because they live within humans souls in order to survive."

Shira had heard the story many times before because Serin took part in the ritual that was performed in order to save the kingdom. Some of his friends were sent to the Shadow Realm, but he was spared.

Serin continued with the story. "The only thing keeping what was trying to come into our world trapped is a sacred stone; the resting place of the Millennium Items. If the Items are placed in the stone, the border will open up again and the monster that's trapped will break loose. But honestly, I more worried about if-" he stops himself.

"What could be more threatening than whatever's trapped in the stone?"

"I'm afraid that Cobalt's true heir is somewhere out there. And if he knows our Mystery is his rival, then he'll come after her and attack everyone she loves."

"If that's so, then be quiet about it," Shira warned. "He could be anywhere." Shira and Serin both assumed that since the people offered to the Great Goddess were followers of Cobalt, then his true heir would have lived in the village of Kul Elna as well. But no one inspected the village and searched for his true heir. If he was still alive, he would be seeking revenge and searching for Mystery. If he was sacrificed, then it would explain the darkness. In either case, Cobalt was still threatening the Egyptian people and would soon make his move.

Just as Mystery hoped, she found and met up with Luna. Walking along the river, the girls talked about their days and how things were for them in life. Again, Luna found herself envying Mystery for all that she had accomplished in these past few weeks. When Mystery talked about learning about the legend of the Light and Dark Knights, Luna said that she too had learned about the legend. Being reared in the palace, Luna was taught everything there was to know about the Great Goddess and the Dark Lord and other connecting stories.

As they talked about the story, Mystery revealed to Luna about how she felt about fighting. Luna knew that despite her bravery and strength, Mystery wasn't violent, so it was natural of her to oppose the idea of taking part in the battle.

"Complicated, isn't it?" Luna asked. " Like the Gods are dictating the course of your destiny?"

"Although it may seem like that, I have to remember that I brought all this upon myself," Mystery debated. "I chose to give myself to Millennia. But now, I've been second-guessing myself, forgetting my reasons and changing my mind about what I want again and again."

Luna snickers. "Sometimes, I don't think even the Gods are thinking about what it is they want for themselves or their children. I mean, why fight a war that's never going to end? Then again, why deny your gifts? You get so much and they ask for so little." Although Luna sounded certain, even she was too proud to admit that she was just as unsure of what she wanted. Bakura told her to gather information on the Children of Millennia, but she never had anything against any of them. Just because they were born on opposing sides of the same battle didn't mean that they had to be enemies either. Other than that, Mystery trusted Luna and would never force herself to hurt a friend even if she was a follower of the Dark Lord.

Getting back to the last topic, Mystery tells Luna, "You know, when I was little, I knew right away that I was different from all of the other children, but never knew why. And although I liked being different, I sometimes wanted to be like everyone else."

Luna couldn't believe that a girl so popular and loved by all would have a hard time fitting in and being accepted by her own kind. Not that she was one to talk. Luna never interacted with her fellow villagers because she never lived in the village. Other than that, she knew she was adopted and couldn't be a follow of Millennia no matter how much she tried or learned. It wasn't what she wanted and it wasn't who she was. But although Luna didn't have her own place among either kind, she knew what a lot of people were like and she was no different from any of them. So she asked, "You wanted to be petty and dishonest?"

Unlike Luna, Mystery could only see the good within others and not the bad things. That was why she had to say, "Everybody's not like that."

Looking at her reflection in the river, Luna protests, "Yes, they are."

"You're not like that."

Luna turns around and asks Mystery, "How do you know what I'm like? You don't even know the first thing about me."

Mystery had to admit that she didn't know the first thing about Luna. But the Millennium Star gave her the power to look inside people's hearts and see their truths. That would help her to see what kind of person Luna was. "I do know this," she was explaining, "although you have been bitter and harsh, you have been very honest about the things you have told me and the rest of our friends. I also know that there is a small spark inside of you trying to light itself. That spark has been surrounded by pain and loneliness. In other words, you have been paying the price for someone else's crime and trying to survive ever since."

After hearing what she was being told, Luna had to admit that Mystery was right. "My parents' death," she clarified. "I'd hate to admit it, but you're right about everything."

Mystery had to remember to consider Luna's feelings. Recalling what happened on the day they first met, it wasn't a pleasant experience. She apologizes for prying into personal matters that didn't concern her. "I'm sorry. It's not my business and I shouldn't be concerned. We don't have to go further into this-"

"No, it's all right," Luna interrupted. She wasn't one to consider other people's thoughts or feelings and wanted to agree about it not being Mystery's business, but she thought it would be all right to talk about it. After all, they were friends and could talk about anything. "The truth is, I actually don't remember much about it anyway. All I know is I was a little girl when it happened; about five years old. It happened so fast. One minute, I'm in the desert with my parents, and the next, they're bloody and dead. The soldiers who found us accused me of losing my mind and killing my own parents. I've lived in the dungeon and in chains ever since."

Just hearing the story was enough to make Mystery shudder. She could never stand for someone to lose her family at such an early age and be accused of a crime that wasn't' hers.

Luna wasn't finished. "I try to remember, but at the same time, I don't want to. It's like a haunting nightmare and I end up seeing nothing but blood and shadows. I've been escaping the palace since that night in hopes of finding answers, but have found nothing. Maybe the truth is, I'm afraid of what I might find."

"Did you have that impression when you saw what became of your village?"

"You could say that. It's also because of the nightmares. But you know, getting into situations like these only makes me stronger. That's why I've always gotten into trouble and put up with the punishments I had to face; they were just tests of survival."

Mystery tried to understand Luna's thoughts about the matters, but would never think of beatings as tests of endurance and survival. Instead, she just felt sorry for Luna and not realizing all that she had gone through in life. After a tear falls down her face, she tells Luna, "I could never imagine all that you had been through. It's even worse when you've had to go through all of that alone."

Luna was about to lose it. _Wake up, Mystery. Don't you know that every one of us is alone in this world?_ She wanted to say that out loud, but decided not to. She knew Mystery wouldn't be able to understand because she never lost anybody in her life. Just thinking about all the things Mystery had that she didn't made Luna feel bitter and envious of her. But she knew Mystery too well and admitted it couldn't be helped for her to feel the way she felt. Instead, Luna looks away and debates, "Sometimes it's better to be alone." That was always the kind of life Luna was accustomed to after her parent's death; solitude and seclusion. She was forced to live in the dungeon and have her arms chained to the wall because she was considered to be a danger to the people around her. That was why she explained by saying, "That way, nobody can hurt you."

After learning everything there was to know about Luna, it gave Mystery several more reasons to want to be her friend. She kneels besides her and promises, "I would _never_, ever do anything to hurt you, Luna. And to be honest, I would rather die by the hands of an enemy than murder a friend."

Luna senses that Mystery is serious to her word and finds her feelings for her changing and wanting to accept her kindness. Although Luna didn't like Mystery that much, she had to admit she was considerate and understanding and no one ever had those kinds of expressions towards her. For once, Luna decides to be true to her feelings and confesses to Mystery, "And I don't want to hurt you either." It was a fact. Luna didn't hate Mystery so much that she wanted to kill her. She even felt like she wanted to protect her from Bakura because friends look out for each other. But Bakura was also her friend and she didn't want to betray him. Feeling confused and torn between two friends to trust, Luna wraps her arms around Mystery and buries her face in her lap as she sobs.

Mystery places her hand on Luna's head and strokes through her hair. "I will always be here for you, should you need me," she promises. "If you need to cry, you can cry around me. And I know you don't want to come to the palace, so rather than come to me, I will come to you."

Without letting her say anything more, Luna sits up, dries her eyes, and repeats the same promise. "I'll be there for you too. I've also decided to return to the palace when I'm ready. Until that time comes, however, you and I will have to go our own ways. But like I said, I'm your friend and I'll be here for you." She reaches into her pocket and takes out the Crystal Rings she stole. She puts the silver one on and gives the gold one to Mystery. "Take this Crystal Ring as a symbol of our friendship. Like the Knights in the story, this is the friendship between a Light and a Dark. Besides, the light blue crystal is a good color on you," she smiles and winks.

Mystery smiles back and hugs Luna. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "No matter what our differences, we won't let anything come between our friendship." Then she flies back to the palace.

Before Jirachi follows Mystery, he tells Luna, "Mystery really trusts you, Luna. Please don't break that trust." Then he catches up to Mystery.

Luna waves 'good-bye' as she watches them fly back to the palace. Admiring her Crystal Ring on her finger, she soon scolds herself. "What's wrong with me? Why was I being so nice to her?" On the way home, Luna starts to wonder if she meant any of the things she told Mystery. There were a lot of things she wanted to say, but didn't want to hurt Mystery's feelings. Even though she got the same treatment from everyone else back at the palace and only ended up getting hurt, Mystery seemed more honest and loving. Luna had to admit, Mystery had a big heart. It was her biggest strength, but also her greatest weakness and would soon lead her to her demise. But Luna had to be honest with herself and admit that she really didn't want to hurt Mystery.

Unbeknownst to Luna, Bakura had been watching and listening in on the interaction between the girls and he wasn't happy with it. He had to make Luna change her thoughts and feelings on Mystery and the others. If he was going to stand against Millennia, he needed help. But he didn't think it would come to Luna needing more help. That was when he knew what he needed to do.

When Luna made it to the square of the village, Bakura jumped off of a roof and landed in front of her. Luna jumps back and gasps. "Don't scare me like that," she scolded. Seeing a look of anger on his face, she asks, "What's the matter with you?"

He tightens his eyes and growls a warning at her. "Never make a friend I can kill."

"What are you talking about? You told me to pretend to be Mystery's friend so I-"

"It didn't look like pretense to me," he interrupted. "You seemed quite serious about it. And don't lie to me by saying you were pretending to be serious so she could be fooled into thinking you were trying to be her friend. You and I both know that wasn't how it looked. Don't let her change who you are."

"Don't talk to me like you're my father," Luna retorted. "I can take care of myself."

Bakura doubted her. "I asked you to help me destroy her. Now you're promising to protect her. Why would you do that if you hate her?"

"I don't really hate her," Luna admitted. "I was just blowing off hot air. I know she's the heiress of Millennia, but it's not like she killed my parents or burned down my village."

Bakura regains his temper. "I see," he whispers. "The situation is more dire than I thought. You're confused and don't know what you really want. You've been back into a corner; trying to choose between the people who raised you and the one you were born unto."

Luna was about to lose it. "Stop it," she warned.

But Bakura continued to torment her. "What's wrong? Are you upset because I know you better than you know yourself? There's actually an easy solution to this and it's right here." He carries a small chest and places it in Luna's hands.

She opens the chest and is shocked to see that it's the Cobalt Star. "What? What are you thinking?"

He smiles and tells her, "Mystery and her friends agree with you about the fact that you don't want friends, but think that you need friends. But I know what it is that you truly want and need. It's all there in the palm of your hand."

Luna looks at the Cobalt Star and starts thinking about the things she discussed with Mystery and the others. She told them about what she wanted and they thought they knew what she needed. How would Bakura know what she wanted and needed?

"What you want is power," he explained. "What you need is the Dark Lord's strength and guidance. Make a contract with him and he will give you everything you ever dreamed of. Of course, you'll have to hold your end of the bargain."

It was true that Luna wanted to make herself stronger. Talking about power was one thing, but actually getting it seemed a little scary to her. Other than that, if she made a contract, would the Dark Lord change who she was? Thinking about the promises she made earlier, she finally speaks and says, "Bakura, maybe we shouldn't go through with this."

"You don't have to give yourself to the Dark Lord if you don't want to," he told her. "I just want to help you get everything you want. After all, we both have our own priorities to commit to and don't really care about the Gods." But Bakura kept convincing himself that Luna wanted to accept the Cobalt Star. "But consider the Cobalt Star a gift from me to you. I figure you need his power more than I do."

Luna was feeling tormented, but another part of her was telling her to trust Bakura's words. _He wants me to fight Mystery on his behalf. I won't do it. _She decides to return the chest to Bakura, but stops herself. _No, I won't let the Dark Lord see me as a coward. I won't let him think I'm disloyal to him either. If I am one of his children, then I've got to prove it_. As she lifts her hand, she starts second-guessing herself again; feeling the same confusion Mystery was feeling about herself and her commitment to the gods. Finally, she touches the Cobalt Star. She barely brushes them with her fingers, but it's enough for the Cobalt Star to react to her emotions and start a contract.

Watching what's happening, Bakura grins and wonders to himself, _Excellent._

_What have I done?_ Luna wonders to herself as the Cobalt Star circles her. Just like with Mystery and the Millennium Star, the Cobalt Star rushes for Luna's heart, black and purple shadows surround her, black bird wings grow out of her back, and so many different temperatures flow inside her body.

Once the transformation is complete, Bakura asks, "So, Luna, how do you feel?"

Luna said nothing, but her silence spoke more than a thousand words to Bakura. She spreads her wings out and opens her eyes. The Cobalt Star had turned her eyes from light gold to cobalt blue. Her eyes even carried a shadowy fire within them. This was enough of an answer for Bakura.


End file.
